Rinus Michels Challenge

[fmguy1]

Hi FM Players! 

Rinus Michels was a great manager from The Netherlands, most known for his time at Ajax. The FIFA choosed him as the best manager of the 20th century and he got many more prizes.He was the inventor of offside trap play and the total football tactic with Johan Cruijff. Sadly, he passed away in 2005. In this challenge, you will try to archieve the same as what Michels did archieve. I splitted things in the easy and hard mode

Step 1: Set up a new save and you will have to start with Ajax in the Eredivisie. What leagues you load is up to you. My personal recommendation is to take at least the higher divisions in Europe, the Eredivisie and the Keuken Kampioen Divisie obviously, and the Belgium highest league.

RULES:
1. You must start with Ajax.
2. You can have any coaching badge you like except The Cont. Pro. and experience whtever you want.
3. If you get sacked with Ajax, its challenge over. With any other team, just find another job to complete the challenge.
4. Relegation is challenge over
5. Any archievement not reached in time means challenge over
6. You should always play with offside trap and total football tactics.

When you are in the game, this are your goals you must archieve:

Easy mode

This part has to all be done with Ajax
Win the Eredivisie in season 1. Michels won it in 1965/66 in his first year with Ajax.
Win the League/Cup double within 2 years. Michels won it in 1966/67.
Win the Champions League within 6 years. Michels won the Europa Cup I in 1970/71.


Once you completed this archievement, you gonna move to a top team in one of the top 5 leagues in Europe (By preference, not a team in Germany) Michels went to Barcelona in 1971. 
Win the league title within 3 seasons. Michels did in 1973/74 with Barcelona.
Win a domestic cup within 6 seasons. Michels won the Copa Del Rey in his second stint with Barcelona in 1977/78 (He has been the Ajax manager for 1 year in 1975/76)

Move then to a German team if you arent in that league already. If you are in that league, try to find another job, but that isnt neccesarily. Michels moved to Cologne in 1980 after a stint in America without any prices.
Win the DFB Pokal within 3 years. Michels won it with Cologne in 1982/83.

After you won the DFB Pokal, You will have to look for a National team Manager job. Michels did with The Netherlands in 1984. This was his second National mangerial stint with the Lions. 
Win a continental competition or worlds some point. Michels was Runner up with the Netherlands in 1974 WC and won the Euro's in 1974. 
This completes the easy mode! At the bottom you can find extra options

HARD MODE
This requires to arechieve literally the same as Michels

This part has to be completed all with Ajax
Win the Eredivisie four times in 5 seasons. Michels did in 1965/66, 66/67, 67/68 and 69/70
Win Your first league and cup double within 2 seasons and your second within 5 seasons. Michels did in 1966/67 and 69/70.
Win your third Dutch cup within 6 seasons. Michels did in 1970/71
Win your first European cup within 3 seasons. Michels won the Intertoto Cup in 1968. Extra challenge could be European cup plus league title within 3 years like Michels did in 1967/78
Win your first Champions League within 6 seasons. Michels won Europa Cup I in 1970/71. Extra challenge could be UCL plus Dutch Cup within 6 years like Michels did in 1970/71

Move to a big side in a Top 5 European League (Personal preference woud be not to go to Germany) once you did this. Michels went to Barcelona in 1971/72. 
Win the league within 3 years. Michels did in 1973/74 with Barcelona.
OPTIONAL: Michels became Dutch National Manager in 1974. You could try the same. Your challenge is to take a WC qualified team and at least recht the final. However, this isnt part in the main Hard Mode.
Win a domestic cup within 6 seasons. Michels won the Copa del Rey in 1977/78 during his second Barcelona Stint after a year of Ajax without a prize.

When you completed this, you should move to Germany if you arent in that already. Michels went to Cologne in 1980 after 2 years without prizes in the USA.
Your only task here is to win the DFB Pokal within 3 years. Michels did with Cologne in 1982/83.

After this, become National Manager of some country. Michels did 3 Dutch stints, his longest after his Cologne stint, 1984/88.
For this paet there is no time limit. Win a Continental tournament or WC. Michels won 1988 euro's, the only international prize for the Dutch Lions as of today. He also became runner up in 1974 with the Netherlands. Your challenge is completed after at least one continental win and WC runner up. A WC win doesnt immediately completes the challenge, the continental win is as mandatory as a WC runner up spot at some day. Extra option could be to reach another continental SF which he did at his last stint as national manager in 1992.


I Hope you like it and have fun! Please reply if you like this challenge.

Optional:
Michels took charge over the Los Angelos Aztecs during 1978-1980. He didnt win a prize though. Your optional challenge is to take over a USA side (by preference at the start of the year in the USA), by preference LA Galaxy or LAFC if that job's available. Try to win the MLS or US Open Cup within 3 years. However, this isnt mandatory for the original challenges so no prize after 3 years isnt a problem. NOTE: Please dont take over Montreal, Vancouver or Toronto because they dont participate in the US Open Cup as they're Canadian.

Michels his last club was Leverkusen which he took over after the 1988 Euro's. He sat there for 1 season. Can you take over a big German side and can you challenge at the top? Or even win the DFB Pokal? If you dont get any succes, its no problem for the Rinus Michels challenge.

 

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by fmguy1