Terk Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 The Minnows Challenge by stoehrst Objective: Take a club team from a nation that's never had a representative in the UEFA Champions League group stages and get the club there. Also, win the UEFA Cup/Europa League with a team matching the same description. Eligible nations: Northern Ireland Ireland Wales Iceland Faeroe Islands Kazakhstan Moldova Albania Macedonia Luxembourg Montenegro (I think, if they have a league) Lithuania Latvia Estonia Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan Andorra San Marino Malta Liechtenstein is ineligible because they do not have a domestic league, and therefore do not participate in the CL. Rules: 1. The club you pick must be from the lowest possible division in the nation. You may use editors to go lower than what the game allows (for some leagues you may need editors in the first place). 2. You do not need to accomplish the two feats with the same club. Once you have accomplished one, if you move clubs you may move to another top-flight club in the same nation, rather than start over back at the bottom. However, if you move to a different qualifying nation, you must start back in the lowest tier. 3. If you use the editor, you MAY NOT intentionally stack your team or the league. This is obviously a fairly subjective ruling and it might be easy to cheat, but you'll have to live with yourself if you do. This is meant to be a challenge . 4. If you are sacked or resign from a club before you have accomplished either objective, the next job you take that can be considered for the challenge MUST be in the lowest possible tier of a qualifying nation. 5. Your manager MUST start with a reputation of "Automatic" Bonuses: 1. Accomplish both objectives with the same team. 2. Accomplish both objectives in the same season. 3. Make/win the Champions League final with a qualifying team. 4. Become the national team manager of the nation whose club you took the group stages or Europa League championship. 5. Win the Euros with a qualifying nation's national team. 6. Win the World Cup with a qualifying nation's national team. 7. Make/win the Club World Cup Final with a qualifying team. 8. This one would be the toughest to swing: Win the Euros or the World Cup with the same nation of the club you completed either objective with. The captain of the national team must be your club captain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 20, 2010 Author Share Posted April 20, 2010 Challenge Log Started: American Idiot (gavrenwick) Gav has chosen Kazakhstan for his challenge attempt; the words 'glutton for punishment' come to mind. After a shaky start with Avangard-SKO Petropavlovsk, he has been fairly motoring up the league of late. Lucky Charms (KharNivore) KharNIvore has chosen to start in the dark depths of Northern Ireland with Lurgan Celtic. The standard over there is pretty terrible, so manager Angela Muir will have a lot of work on her hands to turn Lurgan into any sort of a force on the domestic front, let alone in Europe. Europa League Target Achieved: Champions League Target Achieved: Bonus Target(s) Achieved: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 20, 2010 Author Share Posted April 20, 2010 Congratulations to stoehrst on a superbly tough challenge. Could people who start this add (TMC) to the end of their title (makes it easier for identification of challenge stories for award purposes and indexing purposes). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 20, 2010 Author Share Posted April 20, 2010 Very tempted by an effort at this using the Faeroe Islands. Think it was PM7 did a story with the Faeroese national team a few years back and it always intrigued me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoehrst Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 I'm honored that you guys thought so highly of the challenge. I'll probably roll my own challenge story out at some point soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 20, 2010 Author Share Posted April 20, 2010 I like the fact that both the challenges this time around are magnificently difficult ones. I'd be surprised (and impressed) if anyone completes either, but it should provide for some fun gaming along the way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 20, 2010 Share Posted April 20, 2010 I'd like to point out that this is bloody hard when you get to the higher divisions of your country. The gap in most of them is phenomenal! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WLKRAS Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Does anyone have the former soviet leagues for this one? Or will I need to create them myself Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I tried creating the Soviet League, but moving teams from Belarus etc affected their league, which in turn affected the Champions League. Found it quite frustrating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 21, 2010 Author Share Posted April 21, 2010 Started a game last night with Miđvágs Bóltfelag in the Faeroe Islands 2nd Division (3rd tier). We're the only team in the league who aren't a reserve side of a club higher up the league structure and we're predicted to finish 8th out of 8. Also got Wales and Northern Ireland running in case I fail hopelessly with them. Once I'm far enough along in the game I'll start writing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 Started a game last night with Miđvágs Bóltfelag in the Faeroe Islands 2nd Division (3rd tier). We're the only team in the league who aren't a reserve side of a club higher up the league structure and we're predicted to finish 8th out of 8. Also got Wales and Northern Ireland running in case I fail hopelessly with them.Once I'm far enough along in the game I'll start writing. If the reserve sides can't get promoted, something you could set, then you'd go up regardless of where you finished. I'm guessing they can only NOT be promoted from the 2nd tier to the top flight though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 21, 2010 Author Share Posted April 21, 2010 If the reserve sides can't get promoted, something you could set, then you'd go up regardless of where you finished. I'm guessing they can only NOT be promoted from the 2nd tier to the top flight though I'm guessing that would come under Rule 3 of no editor cheating I'm using a league someone over in the Editor's Hideaway set up, I haven't actually checked the rules, but I'm guessing it will only be that they can't be promoted into the same league as their first team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 I'm guessing that would come under Rule 3 of no editor cheating I'm using a league someone over in the Editor's Hideaway set up, I haven't actually checked the rules, but I'm guessing it will only be that they can't be promoted into the same league as their first team. Never been cheating Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 21, 2010 Author Share Posted April 21, 2010 The addition of amateur contracts to FM was a brilliant idea. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 21, 2010 Share Posted April 21, 2010 The addition of amateur contracts to FM was a brilliant idea. Yeah, my side found that out. They're invaluable for the very small clubs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I've never tried a save in my home country before, good God the standard of football is bad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Challenge Log KharNIvore has chosen to start in the dark depths of Northern Ireland with Lurgan Celtic. Thbe started over there is pretty terrible, so manager Angela Muir will have a lot of work on her hands to turn Lurgan into any sort of a force on the domestic front, let alone in Europe. What an abysmal way of wording. Terk, stop drinking! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 What an abysmal way of wording. Terk, stop drinking! That was supposed to say 'the standard', clearly liquid breakfasts are not a good idea :o Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 How is your game with Midvags, Terk? Did it progress much? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 I got a little scared by the first few friendlies and haven't played it since. Admittedly we were playing teams from the division above but 8-1 and 5-0 weren't quite what I was hoping for Will see if I can do any better tonight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoehrst Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I've never tried a save in my home country before, good God the standard of football is bad. The biggest gulf is between the second and first division (IFA Championship 2 and 1) and then the IFA Premiership (N.I. Premier in FM). On a given day any side in the IFA 2 can hang with an IFA 1 side, generally the results go the upper division team's way but it's never a sure bet. Then, you get drawn against Glentoran in the Irish Cup... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KharNivore Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Great challenge Stoehrst, although i must admit you went all out on making it as impossible as possible lol, and i took the extra difficult task of taking control of Lurgan Celtic from NI =/ woe is me haha. Good luck to to everyone whos entered, ill be following everyones stories! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 The best line of action would be; Get your team to the top league. Consistently win the league to qualify for Europe, in turn earning money. Improve your club finances over time with the European money and make rapid improvements to the club youth facilities. Eventually take over the national side and with your clubs potential excellent youth facilities do as well as possible on the international stage. Actually, its probably the only line of action Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 The biggest gulf is between the second and first division (IFA Championship 2 and 1) and then the IFA Premiership (N.I. Premier in FM). On a given day any side in the IFA 2 can hang with an IFA 1 side, generally the results go the upper division team's way but it's never a sure bet. Then, you get drawn against Glentoran in the Irish Cup... I'm a half hearted Glens fan, i'd far rather be managing them than QUB. I see what you mean about results being a bit random between 1st and 2nd division. I loaded all leagues in England, Wales, Scotland, NI and the Republic, which has given me a few options on the transfer front, but in general the standard is still pap. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoehrst Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I'm a half hearted Glens fan, i'd far rather be managing them than QUB. I see what you mean about results being a bit random between 1st and 2nd division. I loaded all leagues in England, Wales, Scotland, NI and the Republic, which has given me a few options on the transfer front, but in general the standard is still pap. Assembling a top side in IFA C1 and C2 is seriously easy to do, completely free of charge as well. FM09 (and hopefully 10) finally patched out an issue where you couldn't sign players to contracts lower than 45 or 50 pounds per week (which was crippling to a budget like QUB's or Chimney Corner's) and as long as you emphasize the right attributes you shouldn't have an issue. At that level especially, I generally just do player searches and filter the following: Determination 12, Work Rate 10, Teamwork 10, Pace 10. Every position except goalkeeper, that one I value reflexes most. Get tall players (especially defenders) and then when you filter out a list of viable targets, send your scout(s) hunting through them. Usually narrows the field down considerably, too. But the thing is, even though there might be more skilled players out there, if you get these types of players in your side they gel faster and work together better, and that's all you need to get results in that league. EDIT: As successful as I've been in lower leagues, I'm still a bit shoddy on tactics, I think. My strikers average ratings tend to dip to the mid-6s at best, and while they score often, it's usually very streaky or in bunches. I can't seem to get consistent good play up front and I think it's because they are somewhat isolated or out of whack in my tactical set-up. Can't quite figure it out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I've found that any players with exceptional physical qualities usually do excellently. One of my strikers has just 6 for finishing, but he did score a whole heap of goals because he had good pace and strength. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoehrst Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Speed kills in the lower leagues, and the determination/workrate/teamwork triumvirate is vital as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KharNivore Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Damn this NI market lol, i managed to pick up some nice players for free as outlined in the story, and they are doing well, but one or two have been hit and miss, its do difficult to judge quality when they all look the same lol, def a difficult league, but im gonna hang in and see what happens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherm Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 I've just popped in here and realised that KharNivore has taken the same route as me, I went for Lurgan Celtic aswell. Im a decent way in, but haven't started posting yet - do I have to start again with a different team or can I keep the game going? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terk Posted April 29, 2010 Author Share Posted April 29, 2010 Nothing at all to stop you taking the same team as someone else. Keep going. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 Of all the countries and teams possible! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherm Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 I know. I have never played the NI leagues before, and I just went for Lurgan because of the kit and their similarity to Celtic. I don't believe in fate either Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoehrst Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 I want to take full credit for turning people on to the NI leagues...my Chimney Corner story, though it hasn't seen activity in over a month, surely had much to do with that Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 I want to take full credit for turning people on to the NI leagues...my Chimney Corner story, though it hasn't seen activity in over a month, surely had much to do with that Your what story? Doesn't sound familiar..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoehrst Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 Your what story? Doesn't sound familiar..... Ass. Maybe if you commented on it once in a while and kept it in the forefront of my mind and the minds of others Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 Ass. Maybe if you commented on it once in a while and kept it in the forefront of my mind and the minds of others Haha! Love you really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KharNivore Posted April 29, 2010 Share Posted April 29, 2010 haha Stoehrst i wil ladmit i enjoyed the chimney Corner story, and i took a great deal of delight in beating the side recently in my game, albeit 1-0 but after the draw and the cheeky comment about me not getting a resultm i felt a little pride haha.. And another Lurgan player thats good mate, now we can compete to see who does the best with the teams, lol, wish you all the best with the team mate, hope you do well, first step is to now contend with my recent league win and promotion to NI1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 I am continuing this, except it won't be in story format. I will eventually get round to uploading screenshots via the FMS FM Thread. Wish Avangard luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 I got one and a half season into a campaign in Montenegro, but there were so many goals scored that writing up the matches was becoming boring and repetitive, might do it as a career update story with screenshots and very brief match reports. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavrenwick Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 I got one and a half season into a campaign in Montenegro, but there were so many goals scored that writing up the matches was becoming boring and repetitive, might do it as a career update story with screenshots and very brief match reports. I wouldn't blame you on that. It's where I'm heading with mine; you best not beat me to it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elrithral Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 If either of us ever complete the challenge then the story should end up in the hallf of fame, probably with more posts than 10-3 has views. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
salkster2102 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 If either of us ever complete the challenge then the story should end up in the hallf of fame, probably with more posts than 10-3 has views. That doesn't take much doing to beat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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