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[FM19] The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner


kingjericho

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Last year I had a great time managing all over Europe. So much that this year I'm planning to do the same.

Loaded nations are the following: Belarus, Hungary, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. I want to try some of these more obscure Eastern Europe nations in which I have never managed in. I'm excluding some nations (Russia, Romania, Greece, Turkey) as I don't want to repeat countries from my last save.

The plan is to move freely and win silverware in as many countries as possible. Initially, I only want to manage one club per nation, so let's see how I can do that and win trophies.

I'm starting unemployed and without a particular place in mind to begin.

Also, I'm playing this save on FMT. Feedback from the community has been positive and I want to maximise my playing time. I restarted the save but this time in full classic mode, as there are some annoying aspects in FMT which I (still) can't cope with for a long term save.

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blr.png Slonim

League - the league runs in the civil calendar so I take charge at halfway, and things are not looking good.

Club - we never played in the top tier and the club's history is brief in achievements.

Finances - not too bad but I think the numbers will be red by the end of the season.

Career overview

Season     Team                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      ?

 

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My first youth intake gave me four interesting players who I will promote to the first team as soon as possible. As per the league rules, I must have two U20 players in the lineup at all times, and four U20 players on the team sheet for every match, so every promising youngster matters.

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blr.png Slonim - Pieršaja Liha - 2018

League - despite a poor finish to the season, we got what we wanted, which was avoid relegation.

Kubak Bielarusi - eliminated before I took charge.

Squad - some interesting players, but depth is short, as well as quality when compared to other teams.

Transfers - I only signed a striker on a free who seemed to possess minimum attributes for what I wanted to do with him.

Finances - money is so short around these parts that even bad finances are still peanuts.

Career overview

Season     Team                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th

Next season

This squad needs a quality boost if we want to do more than just survive, so that will be my only mission during the off-season.

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  • 2 weeks later...

blr.png Slonim - Pieršaja Liha - 2019

League - a good final place, although our form dropped brutally from the first half of the season to the second. Had we prolonged our initial momentum for a while longer, we would've had a happier ending.

Kubak Bielarusi - we already knocked out a first tier club, and we are in the quarter final, which will continue next season.

Squad - I like the group I have. Some positions can be improved but we also need to manage the constant presence of U20 players.

Transfers - at this level I can only look for free agents, the pool is getting bigger as we increase our status so we were able to sign a couple of decent players.

Finances - things are not looking good, my hope is that we can still make some money out of the cup.

Career overview

Season     Team                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th

Next season

I believe that with a handful of good free agents we can make our quality turn into wins for more than just half a season.

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blr.png Slonim - Pieršaja Liha - 2020

League - we started poorly with 3 losses in the first 4 matches, which forced me to switch from a Wing Play 4-4-2 to a more possession oriented 4-2-3-1. After this switch we had a 16-match unbeaten run and we sealed the title with one match to spare.

Kubak Bielarusi - reaching the semi final was great for our small club. This season we had the hardest draw and there wasn't much we could do.

Squad - some of our U20 started to blossom which meant that when I had to rotate I had more quality options.

Transfers - all players brought in came to be first team options, some with more immediate success than others.

Finances - the squad prize for winning the league was more than the league's prize money itself, so things are difficult on this department.

Career overview

Season     Team                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted

Next season

We played well against the best teams in this division so I can imagine us staying up with a handful of good signings.

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blr.png Slonim - Vysshaya Liga - 2021

League - after a steady start we built up morale and some unexpected results appeared, lifting us way above everyone's prediction.

Kubak Bielarusi - not the luckiest of draws, this match could have gone either way.

Squad - our squad ability is near the bottom of the league, but we have players who fit the way we play and we have quality in every position.

Transfers - Poznyak was a youth product and one of our best players, but €300k was just too good to refuse.

Finances - the huge transfer boosted our finances, although we are draining money every month.

Career overview

Season     Team                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th

Next season

If I can sign two or three top players we can establish ourselves as a certainty on this league, and not just one-season overachievers.

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blr.png Slonim - Vysshaya Liga - 2022

League - we had an unbelievable 22-match unbeaten run, which put us near the top spots. Finishing 4th is amazing considering we were predicted 15th, however there's a bitter taste as we drew the last two matches against relegation contenders and we could have easily finished 2nd.

Kubak Bielarusi - we had a great first round and then we suffered more than we have should, but we are through and this will continue next season.

Squad - some players declined but others have developed nicely, which kept the balance of the squad.

Transfers - just a free signing of arguably our the best player in our roster.

Finances - grim. Without a big sale things will not improve.

Career overview

Season     Team                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th

Next season

We completely blew the media predictions out of the water, so I'm not sure of what we're supposed to aim for next season. BATE is still far ahead of the remaining teams, so if we can look for a top 4 finish again I'll be happy.

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blr.png Slonim - Vysshaya Liga - 2023

League - we had to deal with inconsistency and injury crisis across the season. In the end, a single point would have put us in european spots again.

Kubak Bielarusi - reaching the semi final was great, but we couldn't break Dinamo Minsk. They faced BATE in the final, which meant our 4th spot gave us access to the Europa League.

Europa League - more than reaching a certain stage, I just wanted to get far enough to make some money. We knocked out far superior APOEL, but Konyaspor were too good for us.

Squad - some of the veterans have declined, but on the other hand the youngsters have developed really well.

Transfers - youngsters with loads of potential came in on frees, and I lost a great player due to a stupid release clause (for some reason the free agents were listed in the previous season).

Finances - we banked around €750k with our EL run which made all the difference.

Career overview

Season     Team                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th

Next season

We seem to be at a crossroad. Without money from the Europa League I can only sign free agents, which makes it very hard to improve our last two seasons. I have renewed until 2025 so at least until then I will continue to push this club to the maximum.

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blr.png Slonim - Vysshaya Liga - 2024

League - even though we were very short on goals, we had the best defence and that allowed us to reach our best place yet, guaranteeing european football.

Kubak Bielarusi - once again knocked out in the semi final, we just couldn't find a way to push that final bit in the second leg. 

Squad - the oldest players started to feel it tougher, but the young blood kept us going.

Transfers (2023) - we had to rely on free transfers and a panic buy due to a 9-month injury to my best winger.

Finances - a consortium took over and pumped €450k into our accounts, which is always good news.

Career overview

Season     Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd

Next season

We stood our ground against the title contenders, which is a sign that we are close to success. Provided the youngsters continue to improve and we can find more consistency, we should aim for a regular presence in the top 4 and cup ambitions.

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blr.png Slonim - Vysshaya Liga - 2025

League - we struggled to convert our chances, and with a terrible final run with 1 win in the last 10 matches, we finished far from the top 4.

Kubak Bielarusi - knocked out in the semi final by Dinamo Minsk for the third straight year.

Europa League - we did the minimum, and against Chornomorets we stood no chance.

Squad - a young, balanced squad, with room for improvement.

Transfers (2024) - a handful of great youngsters came in, and I lost our best striker due to another low release clause.

Finances - very stable, with the new sponsorship monthly losses were very little.

Career overview

Season     Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020       Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025       Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th

Next season

My contract expires and I decided not to renew it. Winning silverware with Slonim is still a mid-term goal, and I want to try other nations. In all fairness, I won with Slonim their only major trophy (Pieršaja Liha), and maybe I should have left then.

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svn.png Maribor

League - we are the defending champions, but things are not going well this season.

Club - the club is Slovenia's biggest, along with Olimpija.

Squad (II)- I shouldn't need 50 (!) players throughout the season, although a lot of them seem to have been promoted from the U19 team.

Finances - I had no idea a Slovenian club would have this much money.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             ?

 

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svn.png Maribor - 1. SNL - 2025/26

League - when I was appointed we had a 4-10-5 record, so I am pleased with the turnaround we managed, finishing in a Europa League spot.

Pokal Slovenije - this was our chance to salvage the season and win something, and we blew it with a terrible display in the second leg.

Squad - there are too many players for me to manage, so I stuck with a core group of around 20 players for the remainder of the season.

Transfers - my business was solely getting rid of surplus as the squad is huge. I also lost our best right back due to a €625k release clause.

Finances - very secure.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd

Next season

I hope we can challenge for the title. The players gave good indications since I took charge and I believe we can go toe to toe with Olimpija.

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svn.png Maribor - 1. SNL - 2026/27

League - things were tighter than they look now, as Olimpija were always on our heels. They failed to win any of the last 4 matches which created this big gap.

Pokal Slovenije - we did the domestic double with a not very convincing win in the Final. The highlight was the semi final for sure, a huge win at our rival's.

Europa League - the board expected us to reach the last playoff and we did an amazing campaign. It's a bit frustrating to go out to Dinamo after we knocked out Zenit and Roma, but they were deserved winners.

Squad - this squad is young and very balanced. Weak points were in goal and left wing, however I arranged two free transfers if I were to stay. A note to our youth squad, which is possibly one of the strongest youth squads I ever had.

Transfers - I focused more on offloading the enormous amount of players I had on the first team, and brought in two players for rotation.

Finances - the EL campaign was good but we kept the finances controlled for the entire season.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners

Next season

I will leave Maribor as league and cup holders, and back on top of Slovenian football. Time for another nation.

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pol.png Legia

League - last season was not good, the club was predicted to finish 3rd and we didn't even qualify for Europe.

Club - the last league title was in 17/18, as well as the last cup.

Squad - this seems to be a very solid roster, which will allow me to focus on details rather than a big overhaul.

Finances - not very impressive. The club is listed 26th in terms of financial health.

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pol.png Legia - LOTTO Ekstraklasa - 2027/28

League - we finished the regular stage in 3rd place and held on to that, even though we only won the first two of the seven matches in the Championship Group.

Puchar Polski - the board expected reaching the Quarter Final, but we could have done better.

Squad - we are clearly a step below Lechia and Lech, but the core of the squad is of good quality, even if we miss a handful of rotation options.

Transfers - I had to clear out the bad, the old, and the unfit for my system, and also make some money for the players I needed to sign.

Finances - I can't rely on Europa League money, so I'll look to sell one or two players to get our numbers up.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners
2027/28     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  3rd

Next season

We need to take the step from 20 to 25 wins if we want to challenge for the title. With a couple of good signings and a bit more edge for those tight-knit games, we should at least aim for 3rd place again.

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pol.png Legia - LOTTO Ekstraklasa - 2028/29

League - I was aiming for 25 wins to contest the title, and we absolutely stormed the league, breaking wins and points records. Highlight for Raków as well, who finished the regular season undefeated.

Puchar Polski - this was the negative point of the season, the draw was not the easiest but we could have won.

Europa League - the aim of reaching the group stage was completed, we even qualified and I wasn't worried past that stage.

Squad - we were lucky to avoid injuries and all players played their part, as can be seen by every one of them either scoring or assisting.

Transfers - I found the players I was looking for to complete my system, plus an old friend from Maribor to help in the rotation.

Finances - the EL run did enough to keep us afloat.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners
2027/28     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  3rd
2028/29     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  1st

Next season

My contract was up and I decided not to continue, as my primary goal was achieved. On to the next challenge!

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11 minutes ago, LUFCspeni said:

If I remember correctly from last year, you don't tend to stick around much for Champion's League runs. Are you planning on it this year? Would be interesting to see you build a club to another level.

At this point not yet, because I'm still in minor leagues. I am deliberately leaving Serbia and/or Ukraine for last, because if I want to do a good CL campaign it will most likely be there. For now I just want to win trophies at each nation and move on.

In Belarus, if I had won the league with Slonim it would be a huge club development, but we were still far away from the top clubs.

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svk.png Trnava - Fortuna Liga - 2029/30

League - we were predicted 5th but soon our attacking power put us near the top spots. I gained some grey hair when everything was decided in the last matchday. Šamorín defeated Žilina and helped us snatch the title.

Slovnaft Cup - a perfect display, deservingly crowned with the win in the final.

Squad - a small group that I squeezed the most of, luckily avoiding injuries to some key players.

Transfers - early on I went for a more defensive midfielder, and in the winter break I needed to cover the sale of my best midfielder for the release clause.

Finances - there was basically no income the entire season, only coming from player sales and transfer clauses.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners
2027/28     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  3rd
2028/29     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  1st
2029/30     Trnava                 Slovakia      Fortuna Liga                       1st          Cup winners

Next season

As the season progressed I was thinking about staying for another year regardless of winning the league or not, because I knew that with some great players coming in I could do even better. But then I did the double with a club that wasn't even expected to be in the title race, so I really can't do any better. Some of my best football so far was here, but now I need to spread my gospel somewhere else.

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cro.png Rijeka

Club - Rijeka are one of Croatia's biggest clubs, but they always seem to be one step behind their rivals, having only a single league title in their history.

Squad (2) - I immediately noticed Wilson Gómez, who I tried to sign to Maribor. Judging from his quality, the squad has some very talented players, although perhaps a bit unbalanced.

Finances - based solely on the wage budget, €2m are far from enough to carry us through an entire season. Income from multiple sources will be necessary.

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  • 2 weeks later...

cro.png Rijeka - 1. HNL - 2030/31

League - we were on Dinamo's toes the entire season, and we couldn't beat them in any of our four encounters, so they finish as deserved winners.

Hrvatski Kup - I'm having more difficulties digesting this one than the league. We lost our lead in the 89th minute and then collapsed under the pressure of the penalty shootout.

Europa League - a near perfect group stage was enough to satisfy me, and even though Celtic knocked us out I was pleased with the team, who fought until the very end.

Squad - I'm trying to take full advantage of our incredible youth products. We reached the final of the UEFA Youth League and those youngsters need to be my base.

Transfers - the squad was huge so I loaned a lot of youngsters with potential, and sold surplus players to get a nice income.

Finances - between transfers and the EL money, we have enough money and I already requested improvements to all facilities.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners
2027/28     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  3rd
2028/29     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  1st
2029/30     Trnava                 Slovakia      Fortuna Liga                       1st          Cup winners
2030/31     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             2nd

Next season

We sniffed trophies but couldn't get our hands on anything. Next season we must be more pragmatic and not allow any chances to our opponents.

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  • 3 months later...

cro.png Rijeka - 1. HNL - 2031/32

League - a very strong start and we went 26 matches undefeated. Later on, nerves got to us and we lost too many points for my linking, but still not enough to take the title off our hands.

Hrvatski Kup - solid performances, and some scares along the way, but the final was won easily.

Champions League - my goal of reaching the group stage for the first time in this save was accomplished, and the icing on top of the cake was advancing to the knockout stage.

Squad - it was hard to keep the giants off my best players, but eventually they accepted my decision.

Transfers - two excellent strikers in who certainly contributed a lot to our success.

Finances - CL money is a bliss, which I used to improve the facilities as much as possible.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners
2027/28     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  3rd
2028/29     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  1st
2029/30     Trnava                 Slovakia      Fortuna Liga                       1st          Cup winners
2030/31     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             2nd
2031/32     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             1st          Cup winners

Next season

I could stay here for a long time and build a great time of Croatian youngsters, but I still want to explore more nations, so I resigned.

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bul.png Ludogorets

Club - arguably the biggest club in Bulgaria, we have been rivalling with CSKA-Sofia for the league title for the last decade.

Squad - at first glance I like what I see. There are also players in our B, U19, and U18 squads, although nobody noteworthy.

Finances - these are the numbers that I like to see, and should help me should any immediate signings are required.

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On 07/11/2018 at 22:51, kingjericho said:

Also, I'm playing this save on FMT. Feedback from the community has been positive and I want to maximise my playing time. I restarted the save but this time in full classic mode, as there are some annoying aspects in FMT which I (still) can't cope with for a long term save.

If you don't mind me asking, what are the annoying aspects of FMT? I've been thinking of going FMT and would like to hear experiences of others who have tried to revert back. 

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11 hours ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

If you don't mind me asking, what are the annoying aspects of FMT? I've been thinking of going FMT and would like to hear experiences of others who have tried to revert back. 

I don't know if the patches updated anything, since I tried FMT on the day the game was released. Mostly it had to do with limitations on training and player interaction. I'm not the biggest fan of all the details of the full version, however I still want to have minimum control over individual training, mentoring, and scouting, which is a big part of how I play the game.

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Tactics

I'm far from a tactics expert and I don't spend much time analysing my matches in order to figure out what to improve or correct. But this year, my approach is working better than I expected so I might as well share my findings.

During my time in Belarus with Slonim I tried a couple of the preset tactical styles, to moderate success. I achieved promotion using a Possession 4-3-3. But after moving to Maribor I decided to test my favourite formation, 4-4-2, based on a couple of excellent threads from this forum.

My setup is a mix of these elements, also adapted to the new tactics creator in FM19:

KJ_442.thumb.png.5dbb8593a26bd87a34ce4f63c3d22496.png

I have modified some roles and TIs along the way, but the current version seems to be the most stable. I only change two roles depending on the squad I have: One of the CBs can be a Ball-Playing Defender if he has the ability, and the Complete Forward is changed to a Deep-Lying Forward if the player is not accomplished in the former role.

What does this tactic produce?

  • High tempo, attacking football;
  • Very high defensive line;
  • Lots of goals, shared by the all midfielders and strikers.

Some key points to get the best out of this system are the following:

  • The defenders should not be slow, as the defensive line is very high, so they need to cover the space behind them;
  • High work rate is required, especially for the midfielders. They close down very hard as soon as the team loses the ball, and they also bomb forward when the situation calls for it.
  • Right to the Roaming Playmaker is a neutral role, that requires an all-around player, but with a strong focus on Aggression. This needs to be an aggressive player, as he acts as the more defensive minded of the midfield four, but he also supports attacks, so employing a very defensive minded player here can be a waste. Usually I look for a midfield that has decent defensive attributes like Aggression, Tackling, and Strength, but can also pass and shoot, as both central midfielders will have plenty of chances to score from the edge of the area;
  • The Poacher needs to focus mainly on his finishing - he can go through a season scoring 30 goals and not have a single assistance.

In terms of results, sometimes I struggle in matches against teams who defend very deep, because this tactic creates chances by having many players attacking the box, but it doesn't create many CCC in doing that. Lots of goals come from crosses, shots from the edge of the area, and one-twos between the strikers, situations which don't always classify as CCC. Either way, the TI "Be More Disciplined" can limit our creativity a bit, but I feel it's a necessary evil due to our super aggressive approach when the ball is lost, which would leave us even more exposed if the players all did what they felt like.

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bul.png Ludogorets - Pŭrva liga - 2032/33

League - it didn't took long before we took the lead, and after we got there the gap increasingly widened, giving us a rest for the final 5 matches, where we were already champions.

Kupa Bulgaria - we had a shaky start, especially in the 2nd round, where we struggled to beat lower league opposition. The final was also toe to toe, but we held on to our lead.

Champions League - even though Galatasaray were, overall, more dangerous, we could have scored in Turkey and advanced to the group stage. 

Europa League - by dropping to the EL, I wanted to go as far as possible. After the Bayer matches, I was confident we could go far because they were clearly a candidate. In the final, we always had the upper hand and deservedly won, making this one of my best achievements during this save.

Squad - this squad is excellent as it mixes young and older players, capacity of some players to make more than one position, and potential to improve.

Transfers - I got rid of unnecessary and unhappy players, and tried not to sign too many players, just enough to guarantee us quality in all second choices, and already preparing next season with two signings in the winter.

Finances - the EL prize money was around €10m, which is a small amount for the effort we had. Fortunately our finances were already strong, and I have been using the money to improve facilities as quickly as possible.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners
2027/28     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  3rd
2028/29     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  1st
2029/30     Trnava                 Slovakia      Fortuna Liga                       1st          Cup winners
2030/31     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             2nd
2031/32     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             1st          Cup winners
2032/33     Ludogorets             Bulgaria      Pŭrva liga                         1st          Cup and Europa League winners

Next season

I can safely say that having a better first season in a club is almost impossible. But I enjoyed this season a lot, and want to see what we can do in the Champions League (I'm not thinking about winning it, but we can certainly try our luck in the group stage). I am staying for next season and will aim for the domestic double plus the Supercup, which is a trophy I am yet to conquer in this save.

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bul.png Ludogorets - Pŭrva liga - 2033/34

League - this was over very soon, since we started the championship stage with a 20-point advantage over the second place.

Superkupa - a good hammering to start the season.

Kupa Bulgaria - the semi final wasn't particularly impressive but we finished deserved winners.

UEFA Super Cup - Real Madrid were naturally stronger than us, depriving us of our second European trophy.

Champions League - I was happy with our group stage, including a great win over PSG, but Monaco were too much for us.

Squad - this squad is very strong but I'm afraid it won't last long like this, since basically everyone started requesting improved contracts at the end of the season.

Transfers - with our healthy financial situation I used the money focus on young players with lots of potential, including two Bulgarian prospects that will only join the club next season.

Finances - these values are more than enough to support our wage budget and be ambitious in the transfer market.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners
2027/28     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  3rd
2028/29     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  1st
2029/30     Trnava                 Slovakia      Fortuna Liga                       1st          Cup winners
2030/31     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             2nd
2031/32     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             1st          Cup winners
2032/33     Ludogorets             Bulgaria      Pŭrva liga                         1st          Cup and Europa League winners
2033/34     Ludogorets             Bulgaria      Pŭrva liga                         1st          Cup and Supercup winners

Next season

My contract is up, and after two years of domestic dominance, I will leave the club in a great place (I doubt another team can be champion next season), and I look forward to a new challenge in one of the four remaining nations I have yet to manage in.

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srb.png Vojvodina

Club - after failing to reach an agreement to become Partizan's new manager, I take the seat at one of the other title candidates.

Squad - I see some strong players, but some areas may need some strengthening. 

Finances - stable, for now, which should be enough to cover any urgent gaps in the team.

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srb.png Vojvodina - SuperLiga Srbije - 2034/35

League - Partizan lead the entire Preliminary Phase but then started the Final Phase with 3 losses, which we capitalised on, taking the lead and holding it until the end.

Kup Srbije - this was a huge disappointment, it was one of those matches where we had almost 30 shots and they had 1 or 2, and eventually they won in the penalty lottery.

Europa League - we could have gone further had it not been for Lazio's 93rd minute goal, which put us down to 3rd place.

Squad - the squad is considerably weaker than Partizan's and it needs some adjustments, but there surely is a lot of potential in some positions.

Transfers - a much needed left-back was signed for a bargain, as he was entering the final 6 months of his contract but I wanted him ASAP. Also a very promising yet unhappy striker wanted out, and we also did a great price for him.

Finances - the wage budget is light so there wasn't any problem balancing income and expense.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners
2027/28     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  3rd
2028/29     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  1st
2029/30     Trnava                 Slovakia      Fortuna Liga                       1st          Cup winners
2030/31     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             2nd
2031/32     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             1st          Cup winners
2032/33     Ludogorets             Bulgaria      Pŭrva liga                         1st          Cup and Europa League winners
2033/34     Ludogorets             Bulgaria      Pŭrva liga                         1st          Cup and Supercup winners
2034/35     Vojvodina              Serbia        SuperLiga Srbije                   1st

Next season

I'm still undecided as to what to do next season. Partizan has better players than us, and they did an excellent Preliminary Phase until they bottled it all in the Final Phase. I could try to retain the title and do better on the Cup, but I also want to manage in the remaining nations so I guess I'll see if any good opportunity comes up, and if it doesn't maybe I'll stay here and have another go with this group.

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srb.png Vojvodina - SuperLiga Srbije - 2035/36

League - we dropped a lot of points after the winter break, finishing the Preliminary Phase behind Crvena zvezda. Fortunately we pulled out out guns and did a 6-1-0 run in the Final Phase, retaining the title.

Kup Srbije - once again, a disappointing exit after our worst display of the season.

Champions League - my goal was to reach the Group Stage and get my hands on the sweet green; after that I mainly focused on rotation and keeping the most important players fresh, rather than pushing them for a very unlikely successful Group Stage.

Squad - a very balanced squad, with some of the younger players already catching the eye of big European clubs.

Transfers - I wasn't afraid to spend some money on good players, and the five signings all were very important to give me always options to keep the squad competitive and fresh.

Finances - the CL money was enough to cover the investment in new signings and improvements to facilities.

Career overview

Season      Club                   Country       League                             Position     Landmarks
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      14th
2019        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      4th
2020        Slonim                 Belarus       Pieršaja Liha                      1st          Promoted
2021        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      7th
2022        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      4th
2023        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      5th
2024        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      3rd
2025        Slonim                 Belarus       Vysshaya Liga                      6th
2025/26     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             3rd
2026/27     Maribor                Slovenia      1. SNL                             1st          Cup winners
2027/28     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  3rd
2028/29     Legia                  Poland        LOTTO Ekstraklasa                  1st
2029/30     Trnava                 Slovakia      Fortuna Liga                       1st          Cup winners
2030/31     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             2nd
2031/32     Rijeka                 Croatia       1. HNL                             1st          Cup winners
2032/33     Ludogorets             Bulgaria      Pŭrva liga                         1st          Cup and Europa League winners
2033/34     Ludogorets             Bulgaria      Pŭrva liga                         1st          Cup and Supercup winners
2034/35     Vojvodina              Serbia        SuperLiga Srbije                   1st
2035/36     Vojvodina              Serbia        SuperLiga Srbije                   1st

Next season

My contract runs out and I will be looking for a new club.

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ukr.png Dynamo Kyiv

Club - arguably the biggest club in Ukraine and current reigning two-time champion, although Shakhtar has been on top more often than us in the last years.

Squad - this squad has been successful, so in theory they have quality, let's see if after a more thorough analysis I have the kind of players that suit my system.

Finances - although the balance is on the black, the wage budget is over the limit and the transfer budget is not the biggest, so I'll have to manage this carefully.

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