Football Manager Challenges (23/24) (Part 2)
Already conquered your first batch of FM adventures? Ready for something new? Whether you’re after a globe-trotting career or a gritty rebuild, here are five more unique challenges to keep your Football Manager 2023/2024 save exciting and unpredictable.
The Invincibles Quest – Sporting CP (Portugal)
The Challenge: Go an entire league season unbeaten and reclaim domestic dominance.
Sporting are one of Portugal’s “Big Three,” but Benfica and Porto often hog the spotlight. Your job is to restore Sporting to the top by building a side capable of going unbeaten in the Primeira Liga and making deep European runs.
Why It’s Interesting:
You have a talented squad and a thriving academy, but staying undefeated across an entire season—while juggling Champions League football, is a tactical and mental marathon.
Tips to Succeed:
- Rotate smartly to avoid fatigue.
- Develop a tactical system that can adapt to both weaker league opponents and European heavyweights.
- Invest in youth to keep your squad fresh and hungry.
The Journeyman Save – Start Unemployed
The Challenge: Begin with no club, no reputation, and no coaching badges. Climb the managerial ladder from the bottom to the top.
Instead of picking a team, let the game decide where you start, whether it’s a tiny semi-pro side in Norway or a struggling second-division team in Argentina. Your goal? Win trophies across multiple countries and prove yourself as a world-class manager.
Why It’s Interesting:
Every job offer feels like a milestone, and every trophy is hard-earned. You’ll experience different leagues, cultures, and tactical demands in one long, evolving story.
Tips to Succeed:
- Take coaching courses whenever possible to build your reputation.
- Embrace tactical flexibility—lower leagues often require a more pragmatic style.
- Keep your CV strong by overachieving at each stop.
The Big Money Balancing Act – Paris Saint-Germain (France)
The Challenge: Turn PSG’s star-studded squad into a true European dynasty while staying financially responsible.
PSG’s board demands the Champions League every season, but the pressure of managing superstars, and the temptation to overspend, is immense. Your mission is to deliver European glory and build a sustainable long-term plan.
Why It’s Interesting:
It’s not about surviving on a shoestring; it’s about managing egos, balancing a massive wage bill, and refreshing a squad that already has world-class players.
Tips to Succeed:
- Sell high-value fringe players to balance finances.
- Keep your stars happy with smart rotation and man-management.
- Invest in youth so the club isn’t dependent on marquee signings.
The Scandinavian Super Club – Malmö FF (Sweden)
The Challenge: Turn a Scandinavian club into a European powerhouse.
Starting with Malmö gives you a solid foundation in Sweden’s Allsvenskan, but the real test is breaking through in Europe with limited resources and a modest reputation.
Why It’s Interesting:
Scandinavia produces hidden gems and affordable talent, but competing with Europe’s giants is a financial uphill battle. Success here means clever scouting, smart tactics, and patience.
Tips to Succeed:
- Exploit your scouting network to uncover young Nordic stars before bigger clubs pounce.
- Focus on Europa League runs to build reputation and finances before targeting the Champions League.
- Reinforce your academy to keep talent flowing.
The Fallen Champion – Sampdoria (Italy)
The Challenge: Rescue Sampdoria from the depths and return them to Serie A glory.
Sampdoria, once Serie A winners, have fallen on hard times and now languish outside Italy’s top flight. Your mission is to bring them back to the big stage and eventually compete with Juventus, Milan, and Inter.
Why It’s Interesting:
It’s a true rags-to-riches rebuild with a passionate fanbase and proud history. Financial constraints and stiff competition in Serie B make promotion anything but easy.
Tips to Succeed:
- Rely on shrewd free transfers and loans to build a competitive squad.
- Develop a solid defensive structure to handle Italy’s tactical grind.
- Slowly build your finances to avoid repeating past mistakes.
Final Whistle
These challenges offer something for every type of manager, whether you want to grind your way up the ladder, conquer Europe with a modest club, or juggle the pressures of a superstar squad. Football Manager 2023/2024 is all about creating stories, and each of these saves can become a saga you’ll never forget.
Which one will you take on next?