[FM24] Ein Blåe Dag

[Gundo]

This a story of my adventures in Norway. This save started out as a youth academy challenge save with Frigg Oslo, but after that attempt failed, it turned into a bit of a youth only Norwegian journeyman save. It's also a bit of a build a nation-type save, in that, I want to make the Norwegian leagues and Norwegian national team the best (or as good as I can get them!). I know, I hear you saying it, "how can you have a build a nation save without signing players?" I guess it's my version of a build a nation, a kind of – youth only, build a nation, journeyman save, one in which I can try and make the league as good as possible through any means possible! 

There is also one other caveat! Earlier this year, I got married to a Filipino. I myself, am British/Norwegian. So, one other thing I want to do is to try and get as many Filipino players through the Youth Academy as possible, by that, I mean youth intakes.

If this utter madness sounds appealing, read on.

Name: Mathew
Teams I support: Man United and Viking FK
Favourite "small" clubs: Chester, Frigg Oslo, Hinna Fotball and Virtus Verona.

<Reserved for progress and other stuff>

 

 

Edited July 28 by Gundo

[Gundo]

Frigg Oslo: One Step Up, Half a Step of Failure

Season One (2024): A New Beginning

When I first took the helm at Frigg Oslo, I knew the road ahead would be challenging. The club had a rich history, winning the Norwegian Cup three times in 1914, 1916 and 1921, but had languished in mediocrity for far too long. My task was to rejuvenate the team and restore pride to our loyal supporters. But no signings would be tough!

A 2nd place finish in my first season was far beyond what I expected. It was a top-half finish I had dreamed of, and it represented imediate progress for a team that had struggled in recent years. The standout performer was undoubtedly Ulrik Ferrer. With 26 goals to his name, he was a revelation. His knack for finding the back of the net gave us hope in matches where we otherwise seemed doomed.

That season, we laid the foundation. The team gelled well, and the fans started to believe in the project. They saw the passion, the fight, and most importantly, a glimmer of what could be.

Season Two (2025): The Miracle Season

With the momentum from the previous year, we entered the new season with high ambitions after last season's second place finish. The objective was clear: promotion. I bolstered the squad with key some key promotions from the under 18s, and we hit the ground running.

Every match felt like a step towards destiny. The defense was tight, the midfield controlled games, and Ferrer, though scoring fewer goals, was instrumental with his 12 crucial strikes and some clever assist to his name. The entire team played with a unity and determination.

We kept climbing the table, and as the season drew to a close, we found ourselves at the summit. The scenes of celebration in Oslo were unforgettable. The fans – by fans I'm refereeing to the 96 loyal season ticket holders– danced in the streets, the players were heroes, and I felt a profound sense of achievement. We had done the impossible, and Frigg Oslo was one step closer to the big time after promotion from Norway's third tier to the OBOS-ligaen.

Season Three (2026): The Harsh Reality

The step up to the OBOS-ligaen was a steep one. From the outset, we were up against stronger, more experienced teams. The gulf in quality was huge, and we struggled to find our footing. The defence, once so resolute, seemed to crumble under pressure week after week, and our attack was stifled by more robust opposition. Morale crushed us. I couldn't motivate a single player.

Despite our best efforts, the results just didn’t come. On the 1st November, we had only managed a few wins and less than two handfuls of draws and mostly defeats our time was up. With one game left to play, I was sacked. We had amassed only 17 points. Unsurprisingly, Frigg finished bottom of the table that season.

Reflections, Lessons, and What Next?

Looking back, my time at Frigg Oslo was a rollercoaster of emotions. The highs of our second place finish in my first season in charge, followed by the promotion season were incredible, moments I will cherish forever. Ulrik Ferrer’s brilliance in front of goal, and seeing what might be possible in the future after giving youth a chance. 

The struggles in the OBOS-league were a harsh reminder of the relentless nature of football. The game moves quickly, and success can be fleeting. Despite the disappointing end, I remain proud of what we achieved. We brought joy back to the fans, and for a brief period, Frigg Oslo was a club on the rise.

But what next for me, and where?

Edited July 28 by Gundo

[Gundo]

I will be going into more detail when we hit the current team I'm managing, but for now, it is a brief summary of what has happened so far.  

[Gundo]

New Beginnings 
At the end of the 2026 season, after getting the sack for finishing bottom of the OBOS with Frigg, I checked the Eliteserien standings (Norway's top tier). I noticed Viking FK had just lost the relegation playoff final against OBOS-Ligaen outfit, and nearby "rivals" Sandnes Ulf – so Ulf went up to Eliteserien and Viking came down. As a result of the defeat, Viking sacked the manager, Dag-Eilev Fagermo. Great, I thought, a chance to manage the team I support! I got an interview, and while they were impressed with my profile, they went for Ojan Bijan, the man who had just led Sandnes to top tier football in Norway. It was't a huge surprise, of course, that the Viking board opted for a manager that had just led a team to promotion over someone who took a team down from the same division.

After Bijan's appointment at Viking, it meant Sandnes were in the market for a new manager. I applied! And to my surprise I got the job! Let's see how I get on in the Norway's top tier with a team favourite for relegation. 

Edited July 28 by Gundo

[Gundo]

My Journey with Sandnes Ulf: Seasons 2027-2028

Season 2027: Top Tier Norwegian Football

The 2027 season was a year of survival at all costs and navigating no-signing challenge, all the while knowing I didn't want to be at Ulf for long. 

The season began with a sense of cautious optimism. We started decently, picking up points home and away. The Eliteserien was a competitive league, and every match felt like a battle. There were moments of brilliance that gave us hope of survival, even in the early months. We had a towering forward called Oscar Kapskarmo – previously at Bodø Glimt – who dominated in the air. As a result, he chipped in 16 goals that first season.

An 11th place finish was a crucial step in stabilizing the club. The squad showed grit and determination, qualities we would need to build on for season number two.

Meanwhile, in the division below, former Ulf favourite, Ojan Bijan, led Viking back to Eliteserien at the first attempt, winning the OBOS-ligaen. I disliked the thought of coming up against the team I support next season.

Season 2028: Progress and Promise

The 2028 season moved Sandnes further away from relegation and closer to stability. Armed with the lessons learned from the previous year and bolstered by few promotions from the under 19s, we set our sights higher. All in all, it was a nice season. The new youth prospects did well and the squad gelled further. By the end of the season, we had accumulated 43 points, finishing in 9th place. It was a significant improvement, both in terms of league position and overall performance.



And the games against Viking? 

Sandnes 0-2 Viking
Viking 1-2 Sandnes

Viking finished 6th that season. And remarkably, Bijan got the sack! I think the board invested heavily and expected a lot following the Stavanger club's return to top flight football. Bijan couldn't deliver on their expectations. That had spent nearly 11 million that first season on several capable players. Oh well every cloud! 

I jumped at the chance and applied for the Viking post. After two agonising weeks of waiting, I got the Viking job! Now I can finally get started with my plan of becoming the best in Norway and building the reputation of the Norwegians league. The problem? Doing this with only the existing players and Viking newgens would be a challenge.

Edited July 28 by Gundo

[Gundo]

11 February, 2032.
At the final whistle at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, there wasn't many Viking players on their feet. Most were down on their knees, crouching or lay flat on their backs on the wet grass. A 9-0 defeat is hard to take against anyone in football. It was by far my worst defeat in football – in fact, in any football manager. I came onto the pitch and waved the players to their feet and over to the travelling fans. Until this point, my time at Viking had exceeded my expectations, three seasons of success and joy.

Season 2029
Season one at Viking was a memorable one. We won the league and the cup. Stabæk and Rosenborg chased us down in the league but we held our nerve and cantered to the title with an eventual eight-point gap between us and second, Stabæk. In the cup final at Ullevaal Stadion, we carried over our excellent league form and won 4-0 against Sandefjord. Anton Kada led the line with 16 goals from 27 appearances in the league and 28 in 44 appearances overall for the season. In midfield, Harold Tangen kept up energy levels and chipped in with goals and assists, he was the right inside runner of a three-man midfield in a 4-3-3 system. Tangen is one of the Viking originals so it was great to see him still at the club when I took over.





Season 2030
Season two in charge saw me secure a second Eliteserien title. But there was no cup to keep it company in the trophy cabinet like last season, a disappointing fourth round exit to Stromsgodset saw to that. Anton Kada played every league game of the season and notched 19 times in those 30 games. In Europe, in a campaign that started the season before, as is the case for Norwegian clubs playing in Europe, we went all the way to the semi final. Roma awaited us and were the ones to holt further progress. Remarkably, we beat the 2-1 at the Stadio Olympico thanks to strikes from Tangen and Kada. Back the SR Bank Arena, we played out 1-2 scored after extra time which took the game to penalties. Roma running out the winners.



Season 2031
Another title! Three from three! The board and the fans loved me after this. We finished on 61 points, four ahead of Rosenborg in second while it was five back to Molde in third. We dropped out of the Norwegian Cup in one of the earlier rounds – the less said about that the better. Anton Kada was again the club's top scorer with 15 in league. There was more progress in Europe, too. Qualification for the Champions League proper ensured we came up against some huge challenges but more about that later (for know, you can see how we got on against Real Madrid).





That's it, you are unto date. I'll try with more details about players, youth academy and plans etc. from here. 

Edited July 31 by Gundo

[Gundo]

I think my fear now is that after some initial success the board are expecting a title challenge every season. Many players are ageing, attributes declining and some ready to either leave of retire; I think this season – 2032 season – and the next few seasons will be key time to integrate some more youngsters into the first team squad. I have ensured that all our facilities are pretty much maxed out so I've given us some solid foundations to produce quality youngsters. We ofter get players coming through with the "promising" tags, but i'm still dreaming of getting "wonder kid" description. Finances stand at 25,000,000 gbp in the bank, this was of course boosted by regular European competition. And in stadium news, the board agreed on an extension of around 10,000 extra seats – this takes us from 15,900 to 24,450. The expected finish date s January 2033, just in time for the 2033 season. In the meantime, we will play our home games in Sandnes, the neighbouring city, and the 6,000 capacity Øster Hus Arena. 

Edited July 31 by Gundo

[Gundo]

Harold Tangen
The player who perhaps doesn't have too many seasons left in him. A Viking original.

[Gundo]

Felix Taraldset
Sometimes you get those players that don't average the highest ratings but become your favourite players despite this. This guy was first choice for the inside forward role on the left from the day I took over. He is the most skilful player we have and has scored some beautiful goals after dribbling his way past the opposition. Another Viking original.

[Gundo]

Despite the crushing 9-0 loss against Real Madrid, we still have a chance of qualifying for the knockout playoff round in champions league group. The performance was so bad against Madrid that the players personally refunded the traveling fans. This is my fourth season is charge. The Start of Eliteserien is still a few months away.

Results so far:
Troyes 0-1 Viking
Rennes 4-0 Viking
Viking 0-0 Juventus
FC Bayern 0-2 Viking
Viking 1-0 CSKA-Sofia
Viking 0-1 Tottenham
Real Madrid 9-0 Viking
Viking ? Newcastle

Edited July 31 by Gundo

[Gundo]

Newcastle had too much for us. It thus ends our European dreams for the season. Outside of the overall gulf in quality between the two sides, I think the main mistake I'm making is going at these giants with high intensity tactics, instead of holding off a little. This was the case in Madrid, too, where we got crushed 9-0. But in truth, we our a little out of our depth in this competition right now; I feel much more comfortable playing in the Europa League or the Conference League, it is more to our level. I think when we have a team and squad full of only academy players, results like this will feel like victories! Oh well, all eyes on the start of the new season now.