[FM18] Around the World in 80 days. Phileas Fogg Plays Football Manager

[Northernpilgrim]

The Challenge

The challenge is both simple, and fiendishly complicated at the same time. Adopting the persona of Phileas Fogg, I will attempt to follow his 1872 route around the world as closely as possible, and can only move on to the next team once I've won the domestic league title. I will also attempt to win the Champions League or equivalent continental title in each region visited. All of which must be completed in no more than 80 days game time. 

Leagues Loaded

My manager

As I said, I'm managing as Phileas Fogg. I've created a manager with a UEFA Pro Licence (as I'll need to get jobs at top clubs quickly to complete the challenge), but only Sunday League experience for a playing career. Here he is

Starting point

As you can see, the challenge will start and finish at Chelsea

Why Chelsea? Simple. It's the closest football stadium to the Reform Club, where the challenge began and ended in Jules Verne's book

Rules of the save

The domestic title must be won before the next leg of the journey is 'unlocked'

I will create the next vacancy as soon as this objective is met, but I must apply for each job as necessary, and cannot just recreate my manager. If an application is unsuccessful, I must wait until the end of the next season before trying to get the job again. A sacking ends the challenge.

I will keep my Assistant Manager for the entirety of my career, unless he is unwilling to move. If he will not make a move with me, I will keep the existing Ass Man, and hire the original one at the next club he is happy to join. I've renamed Angelo Alessio (Chelsea's Ass Man) Passepartout (Fogg's valet)

and the intended route in maps

Club #1: Chelsea - Objectives

Win the Premier League

Get the Paris Saint Germain job

[DavidBeckham]

Great to see you back mate! Interesting challenge and I definitely will give this a follow 

[Northernpilgrim]

5 hours ago, DavidBeckham said:

Great to see you back mate! Interesting challenge and I definitely will give this a follow 

Thanks mate. Looking forward to this one myself. Updates won't be as I play like they normally are (due to the 80 day time limit), will just do screen grabs and write up when I'm not playing or working. If it looks like it's not working that way, feel free to chip in suggestions for improvements, as I want everyone who follows to enjoy it too.

[TheEarl]

Really interesting @Northernpilgrim I will follow this report.

Hint: If you set it up properly with rules and regulations, you might post this in the challenge section and see if others would follow your example...

[andychar]

Great idea and will be following.

Good luck!

[GermanTerrier89]

Now that's an amazing idea to spice the game up! Good luck!

[Northernpilgrim]

We had a steady, if unspectacular, preseason, which included Community Shield disappointment

added a couple of players to what is a strong squad everywhere but up front

[Northernpilgrim]

and got the season underway with two wins from three in August

to leave us in the Champions League places

[Northernpilgrim]

I'm concerned by the number of goals we're shipping, and I haven't yet settled on a formation that seems to work for Chelsea, but I'm hopeful that we can remain in touch while I resolve that over the next month or so

[wynter]

As someone who adored Jules Verne as a kid and loved the film best of luck! Sounds like a great challenge.

[Northernpilgrim]

September started inconsistently, but after a switch to 4-1-2-3 against Man City, we went unbeaten

and have ended the month top of the league

[Northernpilgrim]

9 hours ago, wynter said:

As someone who adored Jules Verne as a kid and loved the film best of luck! Sounds like a great challenge.

Thanks wynter. I've never read the book, but the film and the cartoon series are great, and I wanted something to link to a journeyman save that would give the thread some structure. I know some people don't like the idea of manufacturing job vacancies, and respect that, but I think in this context it's necessary because the right jobs might not come up, and I've got a time limit. I will post a screenshot of the in-game time when I move from job to job so people have an idea how long it is taking. 

[Northernpilgrim]

Only one Premier League win from three in October was disappointing to say the least, and led to a decision to scrap the 4-1-2-3 after the Stoke debacle. 

all of which left us three points adrift of surprise leaders Bournemouth

[Northernpilgrim]

November started badly but got better after another tactical switch to 4-2-3-1

and we're up to third, with Bournemouth still on top of the pile

[oriole01]

On 11/12/2017 at 17:47, Northernpilgrim said:

80 days game time.

Wait, isn't this kind of... impossible?  

Regardless, I'm wishing you luck, sir!

[Northernpilgrim]

14 hours ago, oriole01 said:

Wait, isn't this kind of... impossible?  

Regardless, I'm wishing you luck, sir!

80*24=1920 hours. It's more than I usually do but not by a ridiculous number. And the challenge doesn't have to be done by a specific date, so might take until after FM19 is released.

[Gareth Winter]

What the hell is going on with Bournemouth? and Man City?

 

[Northernpilgrim]

20 minutes ago, Gareth Winter said:

What the hell is going on with Bournemouth? and Man City?

 

Bournemouth have had a couple of very surprising wins, but have also played all the teams at the bottom of the table already. That said, I expected their bubble to burst ages ago, so I'll certainly be treating them with respect. Man City have been awful, and Guardiola has already gone, sacked on 18th November. Eddie Howe is working miracles, and if England fail at the World Cup, he could well end 2018 as the national manager.

[Northernpilgrim]

Inconsistency was a massive problem in December, as we became the latest team to succumb to surprise package Bournemouth, and also got battered by Man Utd.

which left us in second in the league table, but a massive 10 points adrift of Jose Mourinho's men

[Northernpilgrim]

January was decent but not spectacular, as we reached the first cup final of my career thanks to a first leg win and second leg comeback

and we remain second in the Premier League, with the gap still 10 points. 

[Northernpilgrim]

February wasn't fabulous

but how on EARTH did we lose the Stoke game?

At least we added the first trophy of my career, winning the Carabao Cup Final in style against Crystal Palace

and we end the month third in the table, but with games in hand on the leaders

 

[Northernpilgrim]

In March, with my contract due to expire in the summer, I've agreed to extend my stay at Stamford Bridge. No option really as we're not winning the league this season, and I've got to do that before the challenge allows me to move on.

[Northernpilgrim]

We went unbeaten through March

ending the month second, still with games in hand, but I think it's safe to say the title isn't going to be ours

[Northernpilgrim]

April was a very busy month, and the tough schedule caught up with us

but we do at least end the month second, through to the FA Cup Final, and with a shot at getting to the Europa League Final too

[Northernpilgrim]

May was another busy month, and the most disappointing of my career to date

as we end the season as runners-up, but a country mile adrift of Man Utd who end up with the double

[Northernpilgrim]

We had a very busy preseason, which went well but ended with disappointment

and off the pitch I added two quality players to the squad

[Northernpilgrim]

I can't quite believe that FC Barcelona accepted Victor Moses as part exchange for Jordi Alba. I know I've paid £60m as well, but originally they were asking for over £85m, which I couldn't afford. I'm hoping that the addition of better quality at left back is going to help us to win the title this season and allow me to try to move on. I was forced to buy a goalkeeper as Willy Caballero retired.

[Maw74]

Victor Moses at Barcelona. 

Well done on that deal alone, but some of those results from a Spurs fans view. 

I might wish you luck at your next club. 

[Northernpilgrim]

2 minutes ago, Maw74 said:

Victor Moses at Barcelona. 

Well done on that deal alone, but some of those results from a Spurs fans view. 

I might wish you luck at your next club. 

Thanks Maw74. I am definitely feeling the pressure though, need to win the Premier League this season and unlock Ligue 1. It's not a given that I'll get the PSG job straight away, so need to get to a position where I can start applying for it ASAP. A Champions League win this season would certainly help that, although I still think the best chance I'll have of doing that is at PSG.

[JMA]

Interesting concept this I like the idea. Good luck with it

[Northernpilgrim]

Two wins out of two in the league in August, although Huddersfield made us work very hard for the win

and the top of the table has a familiar look to it already

 

[Northernpilgrim]

11 hours ago, JMA said:

Interesting concept this I like the idea. Good luck with it

Thanks JMA. I am really looking forward to seeing how this turns out myself. My initial thoughts are that getting the move from Chelsea to PSG is going to be the hardest part of the challenge, so my first spell at Stamford Bridge might well be the longest of any in the save. Time will tell whether that's true. 

[Northernpilgrim]

September was great apart from a cup defeat

which left us top of the Premier League

[Northernpilgrim]

As good as September was, October was awful

and we're down to 5th, two points behind surprise leaders Everton

[Northernpilgrim]

November saw us return to form

but we're only third, albeit with a game in hand on leaders Everton

[Northernpilgrim]

We had a really busy December, which was also pretty good, although I once again got beaten by Mourinho's United

ending the month top of the table, but Man Utd have a game in hand

[Northernpilgrim]

January was another very busy month of fixtures, and we had a perfect month at the perfect time

leaving us top of the table

I only made one signing in the transfer window, paying £33m to Leicester for Harry Maguire to increase my English contingent in the wake of Brexit

and these players have left

[Northernpilgrim]

February looks a decent month, but the defeat to Manchester City is looking costly

as we end the month in second place

[Northernpilgrim]

We had a perfect month in March

ending it top of the league, and knocking Italian giants Milan out of Europe. Here's the league table with 8 games to go

I changed the formation at the start of the month, and with @dafuges permission, I'm using his formation. Here is a link to his career thread from which the new 4-4-2 diamond is taken

 

[Northernpilgrim]

April was another busy month, and a perfect one in the league. We were awful in the first leg against Paris Saint Germain, but two early goals in the second leg meant it was game on, and the players certainly delivered, keeping the treble dream alive in the process, as we despatched Man Utd in the FA Cup semi final, in a game which had two missed penalties (one for each side)

as we end the month where we started it, top of the table, two points clear of Man Utd

[Northernpilgrim]

The season is now over, and here are May's results

but was it good enough to win the title and unlock Ligue 1? Yes, just...

 

[Northernpilgrim]

So, we end the season with the Premier League and FA Cup, but not the Champions League. Time to generate a vacancy at PSG.

[Northernpilgrim]

[Northernpilgrim]

PSG wouldn't agree to pay Chelsea compensation to get me, so I resigned. Thankfully, PSG then offered me the job

and at the time of taking the job, here's a time update.

[Northernpilgrim]

Club #2: Paris Saint Germain- Objectives

Win Ligue 1

Get the Juventus job

Try to win the Champions League. This final objective isn't necessary to unlock Italy as I can still win it with Juventus, Liverpool, or my second spell at Chelsea

[Northernpilgrim]

I am joined at PSG by my faithful assistant Passepartout

[Northernpilgrim]

And this is the squad I've got to work with

[andychar]

Great end to the season. Must have been frustrating having so many 100% months and having United breathing down your neck the entire way.

And that PSG bottle...and they say FM isn't realistic.

Good luck across the Channel!

[Northernpilgrim]

56 minutes ago, andychar said:

Great end to the season. Must have been frustrating having so many 100% months and having United breathing down your neck the entire way.

And that PSG bottle...and they say FM isn't realistic.

Good luck across the Channel!

Thanks andychar. I thought I'd blown it with the draw at Crystal Palace. Looking forward to a hopefully brief stop in France.

[Northernpilgrim]

Preseason was pretty decent

and I added the two top quality players I wanted to an already decent (to say the least) PSG squad