I’m delighted to be able to host the work of some really talented writers, and you can check it all out below!
2. Stabæk Fotball – Alltid. Uansett
Kappitel To – BakhistorienChapter Two – The Back Story Location, Location, Location. Twenty minutes west of Oslo’s busy city centre lies the Nadderud Stadion, home of Stabæk Fotball and the home of my blog this year. In real life Stabæk are already well into the process of building a new Nadderud and at some point … Continue reading 2. Stabæk Fotball – Alltid. Uansett
1. Stabæk Fotball – Alltid. Uansett
Kappitel En – IntroduksjonerChapter One – Introductions Before I dive too far into the background of the club I just wanted to share a little insight about why I chose them for my save on Football Manager this year. Not only that, but also how they’ve managed to suck me back into the world of … Continue reading 1. Stabæk Fotball – Alltid. Uansett
A NEW HOPE.
Domination – “A dominating or being dominated; rule; control; ascendancy.” The Primeira Liga (Liga Portugal 1) was founded in 1934, in that time over 70 clubs have competed, shockingly only five of these clubs have ever been crowned champions (as a contrast, whilst over a larger period of time since 1892, 20 clubs have won … Continue reading A NEW HOPE.
THE BOYS OF EASTER ROAD
At the start of the Football Manager ’22 cycle I had huge plans to blog my Anderlecht save, which would allow me to only sign Belgian players. That save lasted one season, and just two and a half blogs (the half is sat eternally unfinished on this laptop). We won the league in the first … Continue reading THE BOYS OF EASTER ROAD
The beginning of the end, or the end of my beginning? – Rykers tale chapter 3
We’re at the end of Scotts beginning.
Rykers tale – A journey of blocked shots, painkillers and shin pads.
Scott Ryker, football manager, memoirs.
#29 – SEASON 16 – RUSSIA & BALTIKA KALININGRAD
3rd July 2038 Off I set upon another international adventure, swapping out the mild weather in Kaliningrad for the unpredictable climate of South Africa. I learned on our flight down that the climate can vary in South Africa due to the degree angle from the equator and its location between the Atlantic and Indian oceans. … Continue reading #29 – SEASON 16 – RUSSIA & BALTIKA KALININGRAD
#28 – SEASON 15 – BALTIKA KALININGRAD & RUSSIA
Daniil knew that Baltika was beginning to go places. The Russian oblast was becoming more recognisable across Europe, and domestic rivals knew they had a new competitor on the scene. After finishing 21 points behind league winners Dinamo Moscow, Daniil knew that recruitment was going to be key this summer as he looked to build … Continue reading #28 – SEASON 15 – BALTIKA KALININGRAD & RUSSIA
#27 – SEASON 14 – RUSSIA & BALTIKA KALININGRAD
After signing up for international duties, Daniil had no time for himself throughout the summer. After drawing 1-1 with Dinamo Moscow on the 24th May 2036, Daniil had a couple of days to himself before addressing the national team for their EUROs warmups. It was a hectic schedule, but Daniil was determined to make his … Continue reading #27 – SEASON 14 – RUSSIA & BALTIKA KALININGRAD
#26 – SEASON 13 – BALTIKA KALININGRAD
After hitting an impressive 8th-placed finish, and falling just short of Baltika’s highest ever league finish of 7th, Daniil knew that the foundations were taking shape and that he would be able to take Baltika further. In financial disarray, he knew the importance of European football, and that was the goal he was striving for. … Continue reading #26 – SEASON 13 – BALTIKA KALININGRAD
#25 – SEASON 12 – BALTIKA KALININGRAD
Daniil was coming into this pre-season knowing he had a job on his hands. Baltika was struggling at both ends of the park, and that was telling in their performances during the season and their final position. With both Carlos António and Denis Lipkin coming into his plans, Daniil knew that he had improved the … Continue reading #25 – SEASON 12 – BALTIKA KALININGRAD
#24 – SEASON 11 – BALTIKA KALININGRAD
Daniil had landed the Baltika job and had officially travelled 4,571 air miles from his home in Vladivostok to the Kaliningrad Arena. But there wasn’t time for Daniil to admire his journey as a manager. He had a job at hand, starting with CSKA Moscow 2 days into his reign as manager. Daniil was happy … Continue reading #24 – SEASON 11 – BALTIKA KALININGRAD
#8 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
Welcome back to Navigating Norway where we will talk through a rather epic second half of Fredrik Solskjaer’s fifth season in charge at Tromsdalen UIL Fotball. First of all, apologies for the delay in updates – I was busy finishing My FM Journal which I’d love for you to check out. Secondly, we return with … Continue reading #8 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
GLORY HUNTER – #10 – MY FIRST YEAR IN SPAIN
My first year in Spain is complete and I’m going to spend this chapter reviewing how I got on. If you missed the last chapter where I revealed the second club I would be managing as part of this challenge then please click here to catch up. If you’re completely new to this series then … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #10 – MY FIRST YEAR IN SPAIN
#23 – A NEW CHAPTER…
In the aftermath of a treble-winning season, Kazan partied for weeks to come. Paraded around as legends, the full team took the chance to soak in the atmosphere and their accomplishments. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a historic season. Daniil was enjoying the celebrations, but he couldn’t help but overthink the situation at hand. … Continue reading #23 – A NEW CHAPTER…
GLORY HUNTER – #9 – ATLÉTICO DE MADRID
Last time out I revealed that I had moved to a different team and from the title of this chapter you will now know who that team is. I’ve moved to Spain and Atlético de Madrid, after I had resigned at Leverkusen they appointed Nagelsmann who was the Atlético manager leaving a vacancy which I … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #9 – ATLÉTICO DE MADRID
#22 – SEASON 10 – FC RUBIN KAZAN
Interest was heating up in Russia’s newest formidable force, as Europe’s elite were chasing some of Kazan’s younger talents. With attraction growing in Gajović and Guevara, Daniil had to ensure that capable replacements were going to come in and hit the ground running. First out the door was Serbian Jakša Jevtović, who had found his … Continue reading #22 – SEASON 10 – FC RUBIN KAZAN
GLORY HUNTER – #8 – THE EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL
It’s time for our first European final, if you missed how we made it here then please click here to catch up or if you’re completely new to this series here is a link to the prologue. To date we had a 100% record in finals having beaten Stuttgart last season in the DFB-Pokal last … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #8 – THE EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL
#21 – SEASON 10 WINTER BREAK – FC RUBIN KAZAN
With a World Cup to scout, Daniil knew that his patience was going to be tested by some of the European giants for his talented players. But this competition also gave Daniil a new opportunity. He was able to scout potential transfers to see how they would adapt away from their respective clubs and if … Continue reading #21 – SEASON 10 WINTER BREAK – FC RUBIN KAZAN
GLORY HUNTER – #7 – THE BUNDESLIGA BATTLE
Thanks for coming back for another instalment of my attempt at Doctor Benjy’s Glory Hunter challenge. If you need to catch up on the last chapter then please click here to do so. If you’re completely new to this series then here is a link to introduction post. This season is all about fighting for … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #7 – THE BUNDESLIGA BATTLE
#20 – SEASON 9 – FC RUBIN KAZAN
With the winter transfer window well upon Daniil, he wasn’t looking to make drastic changes to his squad. Hopeful of keeping his prized attacking talents, Daniil knew that he needed to add depth behind the front lines, depending on transfer activity. Interest was heating up in defenders Sven Botman & Alexandr Silyanov, with CSKA lodging … Continue reading #20 – SEASON 9 – FC RUBIN KAZAN
GLORY HUNTER – #6 – THE DFB-POKAL FINAL
It’s time for our first cup final of the save so far, if you need to catch up on how we got here then please click here to do so or if you’re new to this save here is a link to the introduction that explains the rules of the challenge. The DFB-Pokal final was … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #6 – THE DFB-POKAL FINAL
#7 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
Welcome back to Navigating Norway where we’ve just entered the year 2025 or as we’re calling it at Tromsdalen: The year European football came to the municipality of Tromso! Unfortunately for you — the reader — you’ll see no European action from us in this update as we’re in February and the halfway point of the season is in … Continue reading #7 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
#19 – SEASON 9 WINTER BREAK – FC RUBIN KAZAN
With the previous season’s highs and lows now firmly in the past, it was time for Daniil to shift his focus to the present. Yet another summer transfer window approached, and with a Champions League debut on the cards, Daniil’s recruitment was going to be vital. Daniil was notified of the board’s intentions to reach … Continue reading #19 – SEASON 9 WINTER BREAK – FC RUBIN KAZAN
GLORY HUNTER – #5 – BUENISIMO BELOTTI
We go again! If you missed chapter 4 then please click here to catch up before we dive into chapter 5. I’ll start off by updating you on what went on at the Qatar World Cup. To say it was a total disaster for England would be an understatement, the Three Lions didn’t even manage … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #5 – BUENISIMO BELOTTI
#18 – SEASON 8 – FC RUBIN KAZAN
A huge second half of the season awaited Daniil. The Russian media were beginning to write off the young Russian’s dreams for the season; “too inexperienced for the task at hand” many were writing. Perhaps they were right. Daniil himself knew that he was swimming with the sharks in the shape of Dinamo Moscow and … Continue reading #18 – SEASON 8 – FC RUBIN KAZAN
#6 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
Welcome back to Navigating Norway where we’ll be rounding up the action of the 2024 season. It’s Fredrik Solskjaer’s fourth year at the helm of Tromsdalen UIL and his first year managing in Norway’s top-flight. Sitting in 8th place at the midway point of the season — with Molde ending the title race for everyone already — but still … Continue reading #6 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
GLORY HUNTER – #4 – SOMEONE PLEASE BUY HAALAND
Thanks for joining me for the 4th of my Glory Hunter series, if you missed the last chapter then please catch up here. Our first season had been a success, not a massive one but a success all the same. We hadn’t won any trophies but we had grown as a club, got closer to … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #4 – SOMEONE PLEASE BUY HAALAND
#17 – MID-SEASON 8 – FC RUBIN KAZAN
After improving Kazan’s performances, Daniil knew that his first summer window was going to be massive for the future of Kazan. Bringing in a handful of more Russian players would give Daniil a bit more freedom when it comes to squad selections for the league, as he is limited to 8 foreigners in the starting … Continue reading #17 – MID-SEASON 8 – FC RUBIN KAZAN
#5 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
Welcome back to Navigating Norway where we enter Fredrik Solskjaer’s fourth season as a football manager. Last season we clinched promotion as champions of the OBOS Ligaen — on the final day no less — to see Tromsdalen reach the Elite Serien for the first time in the club’s history. However, I left you on a cliff-hanger as once … Continue reading #5 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
GLORY HUNTER – #3 – HAPPY BUT NOT HAPPY
Welcome back! Its time for chapter 3 of my Glory Hunter series, if you missed chapter 2 then click here to catch up. The business I’d managed to get done during January had strengthened the overall quality of the squad, just as the business I’d done in the summer had. The changes weren’t massive but … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #3 – HAPPY BUT NOT HAPPY
#16.1 – SEASON 7 – RUBIN KAZAN
Taking over any side halfway through a season is difficult, never mind taking over a top-flight side competing for a European space consistently. Daniil knew that he had to come in and make an everlasting impression and pick up from where Yury Krasnozhan left off. Rubin Kazan occupied the second last European spot – a … Continue reading #16.1 – SEASON 7 – RUBIN KAZAN
#4 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
Welcome back to Navigating Norway. Last time out I left you at the midway stage of the 2023 season, our second season in the OBOS Ligaen and third season overall. We currently sit 2nd in the Norwegian second-tier — unbeaten too I may add — as we aim for promotion once again. Too many draws have been our downfall … Continue reading #4 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
GLORY HUNTER – #2 – HEAD KNOWS BETTER THAN HEART
After the frantic deadline day that I covered off last time (catch up here), I was left with the question of whether or not to keep with the 4-2-3-1 that I had originally determined suited the squad the best or to change to a formation with 2 up front so that I could have both … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #2 – HEAD KNOWS BETTER THAN HEART
#16 – CHANGE IS… GOOD?
As previously mentioned in #2 – Getting My Bering Strait, I had a clear pathway for Daniil Murayvoy to follow on his journey from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad. However, due to circumstances involving certain teams, one opportunity presented itself that proved to be good to turn down. My concern surrounding turning it down was the issue … Continue reading #16 – CHANGE IS… GOOD?
CUSTOM CLUB: AFC RICHMOND
After hours upon hours on the Football Manager Editor we finally have the finished product. AFC Richmond has been introduced to Football Manager 2022 and sit in the Premier League – as they do in the TV Series – with the full squad that you’ll be able to see here. This website is where all … Continue reading CUSTOM CLUB: AFC RICHMOND
#15 – SEASON 6 – FC CHITA
A huge summer awaited Daniil as he let go several fringe players to improve the position of the wage bill and allow for a couple of players to come into the team. A few loanees returned to their parent clubs, with Sergey Gilyazutdinov extending his loan till the end of the new season – a … Continue reading #15 – SEASON 6 – FC CHITA
#3 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
Welcome back to Navigating Norway as we enter our third season in charge of Tromsdalen. We overachieved last time out by finishing third in the OBOS Ligaen but a lacklustre performance in the playoffs ensured that we’d be spending another season in the second division. This year we set out again in our attempts to … Continue reading #3 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
GLORY HUNTER – #1 – BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN
Last time out I revealed that Bayer 04 Leverkusen would be my first club in the glory hunter challenge. As you’d expect their facilities are excellent, they are financially sound and have a fantastic stadium. They are one of the top clubs in German football however have never won the Bundesliga and only have one … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #1 – BAYER 04 LEVERKUSEN
#2 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
Welcome back to Navigating Norway! It’s a new season in a new league and boy is it exciting. We’re already only one promotion away from being in Norway’s top flight, not that I’m expecting us to make it two promotions on the bounce. That just isn’t going to happen. But we can use this season … Continue reading #2 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
GLORY HUNTER – #0 – THE PROLOGUE
Glory Hunter is a challenge that was created by youtuber Doctor Benjy on FM20 and due to its huge popularity he has brought it back again for FM22. For those of you not familiar with it you have 20 years to win the following: Premier League and FA CupLa Liga and Copa Del ReySerie A … Continue reading GLORY HUNTER – #0 – THE PROLOGUE
#1 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
Picture this, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has just been sacked as the manager of Manchester United. His credentials were always questioned, “he won in Norway and was sacked at Cardiff” they always said. After last night’s events at St. James’ Park, you may just begin to question whether it was Solskjaer or just the Red Devil’s … Continue reading #1 – NAVIGATING NORWAY
#14 – SEASON 5 – FC CHITA
Upon his arrival at Chita, Daniil immediately got his limited staff working on pulling through the performance data for the team from the start of the season till now. This would then give him an idea of what the team was good at, what they were lacking in and how he could make subtle changes … Continue reading #14 – SEASON 5 – FC CHITA
CUSTOM CLUB: HARCHESTER UNITED FC
Welcome to the second custom club database available to download here at On The Break. Today I’m bringing you my latest creation: Harchester United. In fact, they are not my creation at all but a fictional club from the TV show Dream Team that aired on Sky One from 1997 to 2007. Based in the … Continue reading CUSTOM CLUB: HARCHESTER UNITED FC
SEASON REVIEW 24/25
Welcome back to the sixth and final post in the series ‘Turkish Delight’ where I am managing Gençlerbirliği. If you missed the last post where I reviewed the 23/24 campaign then please click here to catch up. Before I start here is a reminder of the 10 challenges that I want to achieve throughout this save: Win … Continue reading SEASON REVIEW 24/25
#13 – UNEMPLOYMENT CAN BE LONELY…
Daniil was still in his flat in Khabarovsk further enhancing his football knowledge through reading and watching the sport. Continuously keeping tabs on the results across Russia to keep himself informed on club situations, Daniil was starting to miss being away from the dugout and feeling the raw passion from the crowds. He was feeling … Continue reading #13 – UNEMPLOYMENT CAN BE LONELY…
#12 – THE END OF A CHAPTER
Before Daniil could send his players off for a break he had four games to prepare his boys for; Lokomotiv and Dinamo to round off the three consecutive matches against Moscow opposition, before facing Akhmat and Zenit. Knowing not to expect too much from these games, Daniil was instructing his players to make the most … Continue reading #12 – THE END OF A CHAPTER
CUSTOM CLUB: NEWCASTLE PHOENIX FC
Welcome to the first custom club database available to download here at On The Break. Today I’m bringing you my latest creation: Newcastle Phoenix FC of the Vanarama National North. We’ll get into why and who they are shortly but first of all, we need to go through a couple of things to ensure that … Continue reading CUSTOM CLUB: NEWCASTLE PHOENIX FC
#11 – SKA KHABAROVSK – MID-SEASON 4 REVIEW
Once the celebrations had come to pass, Daniil had to try and refocus on the task at hand. Knowing that they won the league, unexpectedly, it was now all about getting the recruitment and tactical philosophies spot on. Daniil knew that if he did well in these areas, then Khabarovsk would give themselves as good … Continue reading #11 – SKA KHABAROVSK – MID-SEASON 4 REVIEW
SEASON REVIEW 23/24
Welcome back to the fifth post in the series ‘Turkish Delight’ where I am managing Gençlerbirliği. If you missed the last post where I reviewed the 22/23 campaign then please click here to catch up. Before I start here is a reminder of the 10 challenges that I want to achieve throughout this save: Win … Continue reading SEASON REVIEW 23/24
#10 – SKA KHABAROVSK – SEASON 3 REVIEW
Another post-season break draws to an end for the players. Yet for Daniil, he had little time off. Knowing what his players were capable of if he could get them firing, he knew he needed that final bit of quality added to the squad to make a real push for glory in the new season. … Continue reading #10 – SKA KHABAROVSK – SEASON 3 REVIEW
SEASON REVIEW 22/23
Here we go again! This is the fourth post in my series ‘Turkish Delight’ where I am managing Gençlerbirliği. I’ve now moved over to onthebreak.net which is where I will be posting my content going forward. If you missed the last post where I reviewed the 21/22 campaign then please click here to catch up. Before … Continue reading SEASON REVIEW 22/23
THE ENGANCHE
After discussing all things FM with a friend over the weekend, I was brought right up to date with his Deportivo de La Coruña save, and the concept gripped my interest. I watched a lot of WorkTheSpace’s Park to Primera during the summer, and with the league restructure, I fancied starting a non-blog save with Racing Santander … Continue reading THE ENGANCHE
#9 – SKA KHABAROVSK – SEASON 2 – SEASON REVIEW
After a rollercoaster of emotions in November, Daniil made it to the end of the season with SKA Khabarovsk and was looking forward to switching off over the summer break. It had been a tough 6 months for everyone involved at the club, but Daniil was really feeling the pressures of being in a bigger … Continue reading #9 – SKA KHABAROVSK – SEASON 2 – SEASON REVIEW
#8 – CONTROVERSY STRIKES
November 2022 The season so far had been filled with so many ups and downs, but yet Daniil felt uneasy about his current predicament. Did he deserve better? It wasn’t a feeling that had just sprung upon him overnight. Not at all. In fact, it was just last week that Daniil had sneaked off from … Continue reading #8 – CONTROVERSY STRIKES
#7 – DINAMO VLADIVOSTOK – SEASON 2 – FIRST HALF
Daniil knew that with last season’s successes, expectations of him would rise with the unexpected title win. Partying the month of May and early June away, it was time to re-board the footballing brain express and lay down the foundations for remaining in the First Division. Silently, the board were confident that Daniil could lead … Continue reading #7 – DINAMO VLADIVOSTOK – SEASON 2 – FIRST HALF
#6 – DINAMO VLADIVOSTOK – SEASON 1 FINALE
15th November 2021 Daniil had just completed his first-ever round of fixtures at a professional level, as he and the players began preparations to wind down over the winter period. It had been a difficult two month period, with the colder winter weather beginning to kick in, pitches were becoming more and more of a … Continue reading #6 – DINAMO VLADIVOSTOK – SEASON 1 FINALE
#5 – DINAMO VLADIVOSTOK – SEASON 1 – FIRST HALF
Daniil knew that he had to get the players onside fairly quickly, as the new season was upon them come the start of July; 3 friendlies in place against Chaika Yubileiny (amateur outfit), SKA Khabarovsk (Russian First Division) and Dinamo Moscow (Premier League) meant that match fitness was the important factor. Given that Daniil was … Continue reading #5 – DINAMO VLADIVOSTOK – SEASON 1 – FIRST HALF
#4 – A NEW BEGINNING
14th June 2021 – 07:30 (GMT+10) Daniil eagerly jumped out of bed at the sound of his alarm; today was the big day. Making the executive decision to skip his university lectures for one day, and one day only, Daniil had a potentially life-changing interview to prepare for. It had only been a week since … Continue reading #4 – A NEW BEGINNING
#3 – ANCESTRAL GUIDANCE
In the middle of Vladivostok, a monument overlooks the Zolotoy Rog Bay; the old foundations of the city’s military outpost centuries ago. The monument was erected to honour one of Russia’s most prominent statesmen, who was vital in Russia’s Far East history. Nikolay Muravyov has his own monument in his own park in Vladivostok, but … Continue reading #3 – ANCESTRAL GUIDANCE
#2 – GETTING MY BERING STRAIT
With FM22 beta now officially launched, I am getting more and more excited to get this journey across Russia started. However, in the meantime, it is about time to announce the 11 clubs that I will be looking to manage here. Vladivostok FC Dynamo Vladivostok A recently recreated club in 2021 following the cancellation of … Continue reading #2 – GETTING MY BERING STRAIT
#1 – PUTIN A PLAN IN MOTION
25th August 2019. A day that a handful of hardcore Russian fans will never forget supporting their beloved FC Luch Vladivostok. We have all been there ourselves, preparing for a long away day to watch our club, but nothing as extreme as this. The fans faced a 13-hour flight (providing it was a direct flight) … Continue reading #1 – PUTIN A PLAN IN MOTION
SEASON REVIEW 21/22
Thank you for joining me once more for the third post of ‘Turkish Delight’, this time its a review of my first season in charge of Gençlerbirliği. If you missed the last post where I assessed the clubs facilities, finances and players then please click here to catch up. Before I start here is a reminder of … Continue reading SEASON REVIEW 21/22
WHAT HAVE I GOT TO WORK WITH?
Welcome back to ‘Turkish Delight’, I’m releasing this post slightly later than I intended to thanks to a busy week at work. I really wanted to dive straight into this save following the full release on Monday night but unfortunately it had to wait. During BETA I got in a couple of seasons managing Chorley, … Continue reading WHAT HAVE I GOT TO WORK WITH?
INTRODUCING TURKISH DELIGHT
Turkish football is on the decline and has been for a while. At the turn of the millennium it was thriving with Galatasaray punching well above their weight by winning the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 2000. The national side continued the trend of Turkish overachievement by finishing 3rd at the 2002 World … Continue reading INTRODUCING TURKISH DELIGHT
R. S. C. ANDERLECHT: A BRIEF HISTORY & SQUAD ANALYSIS.
Firstly, if you are reading this post then thank you for giving me a second chance. In hindsight my opening blog was a bit of a rambling un-structured mess and I am committed to improving both the structure, and grammar in my upcoming posts. In this post I willbriefly look at the history of Anderlecht, … Continue reading R. S. C. ANDERLECHT: A BRIEF HISTORY & SQUAD ANALYSIS.
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – SAVE FINALE
With uni starting again and FM22 on the horizon, I’ve given myself just one season to win the Champions League and complete the save. Probably silly and realistically it’s going to be another failed journeyman for me this year, but nevertheless I’ve got to give it ago. This could be a very short finale should … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – SAVE FINALE
R. S. C. ANDERLECHT: A BELGIAN DREAM
First of all I guess that I should introduce myself… I did post an introduction somewhat similar to this in early 2020 so not many people will have seen it. My love affair with Football / Championship Manager started with Championship Manager 2. I can still remember to this day going around to my friends … Continue reading R. S. C. ANDERLECHT: A BELGIAN DREAM
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – LAZIO FIRST SEASON
Club 3 – Lazio With Lazio finishing 5th and being in the Europa League as we take over, I wanted to try and get through this season as fast as possible in the hopes of a top 4 finish to secure Champions League football. So this edition, is going to be a full season overview … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – LAZIO FIRST SEASON
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – HUGE NEW JOB!
In a summer where I planned on moving to a top 5 division, there was one team that was available before the end of the season I had my eye on as soon as it became available. That team was Lazio. A huge team in Italy and a club ready made to make a charge … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – HUGE NEW JOB!
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – LEAGUE TITLE?
Club two – Lechia So here’s the state of play for this end of season run in. With 14 games left to play, we sit top with a comfortable 12 point lead! With just 1 loss all season it’s been a quite remarkable opening 20 games for the Lechia boys, Schettine has 11 goals in … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – LEAGUE TITLE?
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – EURO CUP TWO GROUP AND MID-SEASON REVIEW
Club 2 – Lechia League With deadline day approaching, I had planned on saving our transfer budget for the February window, until I came across 18-year-old forward Dragan Stoisavljevic, wanted by Newcastle and Leeds before we made our move, I acted quickly and secured him for £1.2 million, at 6 foot 2 and with excellent … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – EURO CUP TWO GROUP AND MID-SEASON REVIEW
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – PRE-SEASON AND THE EURO CUP 2
Club 2 – Lechia Gdansk Transfers We were given a big chunk of change to spend over the summer. iven a big chunk of change to spend over the summer. £4.5 million to spend and a good increase to the wage, I went straight to work and signed Legia’s 20-year-old goalkeeper Cezary Miszta. The young … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – PRE-SEASON AND THE EURO CUP 2
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – END OF SEASON RUN IN
Club 2 – Lechia After victory in our opening game in charge of Lechia, it was time to look to the final 14 games and push towards those top 4 positions. We kicked things off with a comfortable 3-1 victory against bottom of the league Górnik Łęczna, Schettine with a brace and Bozok from the … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – END OF SEASON RUN IN
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – NEW CLUB LECHIA LEAGUE START
Club 2 – Lechia With the whole of January off it gave me an excellent chance to test the system and give a chance for players to stake their claims. It was clear looking through the stats that last year’s champions had lost their goal scoring touch. Just 13th in the league for goals scored … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – NEW CLUB LECHIA LEAGUE START
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – NEW CLUB?!
With FM22’s release date announced, it was clear that I needed to speed up the Journeyman save, with roughly 7 weeks until BETA, we’re against the clock. So with that in mind, I started looking around to see if there was anything of interest. There were quite a few Belgian clubs, Westerlo took a particular … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE TWO) – NEW CLUB?!
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – ISRAELI PREMIER DIVISION STARTS!
So, after not even expecting to be here this year, we begin our campaign in the top-flight of Israel with our hastily put together squad against strong opposition. A quick look at the season preview shows Beitar Jerusalem are 3rd favourites for the league, while we sit firmly at the bottom of the pile at … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – ISRAELI PREMIER DIVISION STARTS!
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – SEASON 2, TRANSFERS AND THE TOTO CUP
Having made the decision to stay at Fahm it was time to look at improving things. After receiving a million pounds for promotion, we had around 750 thousand in the bank, I asked for new training facilities as ours were below average, this completely wiped our balance out, which I didn’t expect. However, it does … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – SEASON 2, TRANSFERS AND THE TOTO CUP
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – SECOND SEASON JOB SEARCH
Hapoel Umm el-Fahm Before discussing the summer, I want to look at our season with Hapoel Umm el-Fahm – predicted 12th before the season started, we made just a couple of signings over the course of the year, finishing second and gaining promotion was a brilliant season. Although it felt less joyful than it perhaps … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – SECOND SEASON JOB SEARCH
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – END OF SEASON ONE
Towards the end of February we completed our first coaching course, we instantly asked for another as finances at Fahm are healthier than that of another club we could be at right now. Thankfully they accepted! Initially I debated looking at other jobs when this one was complete, but our rep going from 5% to … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – END OF SEASON ONE
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – MID-SEASON REVIEW
With the last instalment a longer edition, I’m going to leave the schedule and league table below and then just discuss any talking points and summarise what’s happened over the course of the next section of games. We hit 20 league games and things have been good in the league so far. We’ve continued our … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – MID-SEASON REVIEW
JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – THE LEAGUE BEGINS
After our cup disappointment, we looked to correct things in our opening league game against Hapoel Acre. Match 1: Hapoel Acre – We did just that! The complete opposite to that cup game, dominated on the ball, created lots and conceded little. 2-0 victors on the day, central midfielder Itay Tako opened the scoring in … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – THE LEAGUE BEGINS
EUROPEAN JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – PRE-SEASON, TRANSFERS AND THE TOTO CUP
Disaster struck one day into our tenure at Fahm, the board rejected my request for a coaching course! They also rejected requests to improve the training facilities and to improve the youth facilities. While the facilities one is what it is, the coaching course is a real problem early on. You need to get them … Continue reading EUROPEAN JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – PRE-SEASON, TRANSFERS AND THE TOTO CUP
EUROPEAN JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – FIRST CLUB!
Did you guess right? We of course picked Hapoel Umm el-Fahm, who will from here on be known as Fahm (there are 10 out of 16 teams in the division with Hapoel hence we didn’t go with that). Not only did they have a vastly bigger wage budget, but they also had some more stable … Continue reading EUROPEAN JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – FIRST CLUB!
EUROPEAN JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – THE BEGINNING
For those who follow me over at Twitch, you’ll know my love for the journeyman, one of my first saves on stream in FM20 and my first major save on FM21. It’s always a rollercoaster and managing in obscure nations in even obscurer leagues, with weird rules and league systems, whilst hoping wherever you end … Continue reading EUROPEAN JOURNEYMAN (TAKE 2) – THE BEGINNING
PICKING A STARTING TEAM? EMBRACE THE RANDOM
I know what you’re thinking. Getting your starting team right is huge. You want to start as your favourite team, or maybe you have an FM team that you always start as? Well it’s time to forget all that and embrace the delights of the random. Full disclosure, I run a website – the9llamas – … Continue reading PICKING A STARTING TEAM? EMBRACE THE RANDOM
JOURNEYMAN #6 ALL AALBORG THE DANE TRAIN
Starting my managerial career in Iceland, and giving myself the task of climbing up the ladder by winning league titles, I liked the idea of charging through Scandinavia like some kind of reverse Scottish Viking warrior King. With Sweden ticked off the list, I had my sights set of making Denmark my next stop. Finland … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN #6 ALL AALBORG THE DANE TRAIN
JOURNEYMAN #5 SWEDE CHIN MUSIC
With great power (money), comes great resposi… Wait, let’s not go down the old Spider-Man route. Yes, we guided Djurgården into the Champions League group stage, yes, we may have conceded 16 to Liverpool over the two games, but a 2-1 win over Lyon and €14 million in the pot was a nice little bonus … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN #5 SWEDE CHIN MUSIC
JOURNEYMAN #4 DJUR LEAVING US?
Pretty much through all my Football Manager career, despite some of the best and brightest brains suggesting you should play differently when you are playing away, or against big teams etc etc, I have always stuck to my guns. Find a formation that works, refine the system and then just let it run, good or … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN #4 DJUR LEAVING US?
S01E05 – THE ANNUAL REVIEW 2020/21
PROLOGUE In the previous blog I stated that youth intake day is likely the most anticipated day in the Football Manager calendar. For me though the fun really begins when the season ends, this is where you get to tear it all down and find out what worked or what didn’t. Who performed or who … Continue reading S01E05 – THE ANNUAL REVIEW 2020/21
JOURNEYMAN #3: NOT SO SUPER-ETTAN
With this being my first Journeyman save, I can’t say I was too clued up as to how people usually approached it. My thinking was to stay in Scandinavia, but climb up the ladder, using the league rankings as a base. Iceland was ranked 60th after winning the title with Valur, which meant only moving … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN #3: NOT SO SUPER-ETTAN
JOURNEYMAN #2: IN-VESTRI-ING IN YOUR FUTURE
Being told you are long shot favourites to stay up puts the fear into you. Going into the 2022 season with Vestri it was all hands-on deck, the off-season scouting and trialing every player who would take our calls, trying to find a couple of gems good enough to keep us up. If you missed … Continue reading JOURNEYMAN #2: IN-VESTRI-ING IN YOUR FUTURE
JOURNEY TO THE JOURNEYMAN
“This is not the intro to a Journeyman series, no.This is just a tribute!” 2020 was weird… Forget the pandemic, we’ve all had to endure that and if you’ve made it on here, well done, you’ve fucking smashed it. Around March, on a complete whim, I bought Football Manager 2020. I genuinely have no idea … Continue reading JOURNEY TO THE JOURNEYMAN
HV & CV QUICK SEASON TWO: TRANSFERS, LEAGUE AND MORE
THE LEAGUE – DUTCH TWEEDE DIVISIE Just like last year, the league is as confusing. 4 periods instead of 3 with the winner at each stage guaranteeing a play-off spot. Originally predicted rock bottom in the preview was cause for concern, however after transfers were made, we sit in a relatively good spot for a … Continue reading HV & CV QUICK SEASON TWO: TRANSFERS, LEAGUE AND MORE
On the Break 