Nordic Adventure (Scandinavian Challenge)

After last year's attempt at the pentagon that i'm still playing from time to time, i've been itching to get playing FM13. I've already been thinking of a challenge to do in FM13. I like the ida of the British Steel Challenge that is going around and thought why not try a Scandinavia one instead. This might have been attempted or been tried somewhere else but i haven't check on other forums.


So what is the challenge: You have to win every trophy from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland in any order you want. However you must only use Scandinavian players!

In certain countries there are a few parts towards a division, Being promoted in one of these will count for all.

Rules:

Only use Scandinavian players
Must start with Sunday League Reputation
You may start at a club or start unemployed, your choice
Below is a list of all the trophies for each country that is playable.

Sweden

Premier Division, First Division Elite, First Division - (North and South), Second Division - (North, West Gotaland, East Gotaland, South Gotaland, North Svealand, South Svealand), Swedish Cup, Super Cup

Denmark

Superliga, First Division, Second Division - (East and West), Danish Cup

Finland

Premier League, First Division, League Cup, Finnish Cup

Iceland

Premier Division, First Division, Icelandic Cup, Champions Cup, Upper League Cup

Norway

Premier Division, First Division, Second Division - (Group 1,2,3,4), Norwegian Cup

So the adventure to the unknown has started. I will playing this challenge on the Classic mode. I couldn't quite decide what mode to play on but i did quite enjoy the Classic version when i played it, when the game was first released. It is basic in some elements but really the only one i think it will affect is in the tactics. As i don't usually have a lot of back room staff or scouts when playing FM. Sadly the training is slightly less detailed but not by a lot. But we will have to see.

As this Challenge is going to be quite a long i thought Classic would be the better option due to the speed of the game ( I might be wrong)

The three leagues that i have loaded up are Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

Sweden is going to be my starting nation, as you can see it has the largest amount of trophies to be won, so i just might as well get them out of the way.

I rejected offers from other clubs in the other countries, i settled on just the one offer, and that was at Selanger FK. With a little bit of a transfer budget and a good amount of wages to spend i thought it would be the best place to start.


Media Prediction 11th / 12th (hopefully with some signings i can prove the critics wrong)

Squad is pretty small at moment, well it should be if we are only paying 864 pounds out in wages. Looking at the squad i've never come across players with as bad stats as these but i guess thats what the lower tiers of Sweden are going to be like. A lot of learning for me.


Been looking at a few transfers and it seems to me that most of the better players are central. As i usually switch tactics a lot (38 different ones to date in FM12). In this game i have vowed to keep to one system through out the game. As i like how 3 at the back plays. (never been able to get the tactic playing as i would like i thought FM13 would be the game to change that) I will be going with a variation of 3-5-2, 3-4-3. etc.

First season has passed us by and well what an eventful season it was, a lot of learning and quickly needed to. Transfers in and not many out.

Set up my 3-5-2 tactic but quickly after the friendlies i changed to 3-4-3, just gave me more of a balance in the offensive build up. Defensively it made a small change not as strong but then again with 5 in midfield some players where just occupying the same position and would let players run past them.

Not going to go into detail about transfers as there are too many to deal with, so later on in the post i will show my key players for the season like a top 3.



Fixtures and Results

Friendlies



Not a bad start 3 wins 1 loss, even though we was unlucky to lose to Hudiksvall after having much of the game and more clear chances, unluckly. Can't wait for the season to be begin.

First Half



After never really playing with a team with this reputation or stats wise this bad. I had to get use to watching players make some dreadful mistake or just horrible passes. Pretty much every game we play is like watching under 14's football.

Results wise we didn't have the best starts or worse starts we where above our expectation in 7th place. Too many games were drawn, we lost leads and also came back in a few games to pick up points but more than often we dropped points. The big game was the 3-4 defeat to the hands of Harnosand we was 4-0 down at half time and with a goal disallowed in the last minute what i thought was the equalising goal it was a game that really made me believe anything can happy in this division, doesn't matter what lead you have it can all change with a heat beat.

If we have a good second half of the season we won't win the league as Anundsjo have won all bar two games this season and still undefeated. But if we can keep out of the relegation battle i will be happy and it'll be above expectation of the board.

Second half of the season brought us pretty much of the same, inconsistency and not enough wins saw us fighting on the last game of the season to better the result than Skelleftea FF to stay up and go into the relegation playoff final.



A late draw earned for us, stopped the early blushes of this challenge so far. Can't say they will in the end but so far that's on hold.

Playoff final.



A few injuries and more on that later on, it was hard to put in a side that would fit into my 3-4-3, so had to take drastic measures and switch to a 4-4-2 just for the two leg final.

Comfortable win away and at home earned Selanger a second division spot for another season.




Summary



This season i have learned a lot from the level of football being played here and even with a tactic with no instructions and building a squad high on determination, work rate and natural fitness still players couldn't quite keep to positions nor would they able to contribute in both phases of play, a rethink might be involved for next season. Also the amount of injures that occur are crazy not just for days here and there it's for a couple of months, so small squads get tested to the max, at the same time there isn't enough money to bring more players in as most months we are losing 3-6K a month. Promotion needs to be on the cards soon to stop the finances going to crazy. Selling players isn't an option either as players aren't on big contracts and not enough interest in them either. In the top image you probably will see that some players that i brought in i let go at the end of the season, would of liked to keep a few off them as they brought something to the team, too much wage demand, so let them go and only kept the players that stats wise gave something to team, with pass completions, tackles per game etc. (looking more into these as most players attributes are the same).

Key Players

Domelij (highest rated player of the season)




Thelin (signed at 16 and second top goal scorer with 10)




Khreis (top goal scorer with 10, main striker)

SELANGAR FK

Aims

Avoid relegation is the expectation for this year again from the board, hopefully that's not going to be the case. A little tactical change will see how it goes through pre season, Last year i found certain areas players wouldn't move into, or just stupid passes when they didnt need to. So more of a assymetrical formation.

Mid table is going to be what i am aiming for, turn some of the draws into wins, and build for next season for a promotion push. Another more will be a bonus.

A few transfers in, not too many as last season so hopefully the team will bond a little quicker, as i can't really hold down players for a long period, so a year to year basis is going to be my plan. The backbone of the team hopefully will remain the same, just need to add players around them to build the squad.

Transfers.


Lindvall and Englund and Carlsson defiantly a stronger midfielders than last year.

Youth intake

A few players have come in through the youth system, yes the youth system even i was shocked. But i was more than shocked when i saw this guy. I really couldn't believe it!


The other two have been loaned out to my affliate to gain experience but Eliasson is going staight into the first team or a place on the bench.

Friendlies.


The new tactic seems to be working, a bit more stable, less unpredictable but the lack of pace in defense maybe a concern hopefully the most of the through balls at this level will get swept up by the keeper.

Not a bad start to the season in the first 3 games won 2 and lost 1, that's half of the wins i had last season and thats only 3 games in. A draw and a loss before the best run of my career so far 4 wins in a row put us up there with the leaders before two losses ended the first half of the season. Sitting seconded in the league at the moment only 3 points behind its all still to play for, defiantly not going to need as many as 47 points to win it this year, that's what the winners of the division got last year.


The game that was my only concern was against Solleftea GIF, with 60 minutes played i was 2-0 up looking to pick up the win, until they scored and after that it was all downhill, maybe there heads dropped as the team is very young. But letting a 2-0 advantage slip was very frustrating.


So far so good, fingers crossed.

Start to the second half of the season didn't quite go to plan, Assi's first win of the season saw us go down 4-0 away from home. Games played away from home are really making our season fall apart, doesn't matter the strategy i plan away it doesn't seem to be effective. Standard, Counter or Attacking. Then back to back wins against 2nd and 1st respectively.

Losing to 4th place Pitea before drawning against seconded from bottom, we just couldn't find a second to close the game out made July a average month but hasn't seen us lose the gap towards the top still 2 points behind league leaders Harnosand.

SELANGAR FK

A change to a 4-4-2 in August due to a few injures to the midfield and the odd suspension. Away to Mariehem who are just above us in the league on goal difference. Defensively we was shocking, the goals we conceeded especially the 88th minute equaliser was laughable. Points dropped.


Then came Solleftea GIF, a game we just couldn't score in. It was a close encounter and a game really we should be winning to keep pressure on the top teams.



Another home win came against 3rd from bottom Junsele, we nearly dropped points in this game too. Too many shots we are giving away and the 4-4-2 is making sure teams are getting a little bit less of the balls and shots at goal, but we just seem to be moving out of positions and giving too easy passes away frustrating a few tweaks are getting made but none really taking effect every game.

we was 2 points behind going into the last 3 games, playing the top two in the next two games should shape our season out nicely as long as we pick up the points. But a bad result can cost us a nice league position.

remaining 3 games, 3 losses and a season full of disapointment in the end. Yes we doubled our wins from last season and you could say an improvement. But just the inconsistency is really frustrating and if i could upload all the goals we concede and sometimes score they are really crazy and stupid. The league is very competive and it's just a matter of time. I've gone through and not really said about what has happened in the last three games because in the end we lost and that was it.. The amount of penalites and losing the leads we have had in the last few games really lost us the league. Changing the strategy to play safer didn't work we held the ball in stupid areas what lost us vital possesion. Keeping it the same and too many passes hit long to nomans land still man sure we didn't optain the promotion this season. Finishing 8th in the end!


A few players have been released from a few clubs that i would love to bring in, but they just aren't interested in joining the club. So looks like another season with the squad i have now. With the players having a extra year experience hopefully should help. The squad average age is 22.


End of season report and pre season will be in the next update!

good luck with this, another different challenge is always good to see, noticed your playing in FMC, as am I, what are your thoughts on it?>

Good luck mate nice challenge

Cheers man, the challenge is defiantly going to be one.. I haven't played the full version yet. But i am liking FMC reminds me of the days of CM 97/98. Very stripped back maybe a little too much, i would probably like a little more in terms of tactic. Team talks, would be good to bring morale up at half time etc, at the moment the team seems to be a little inconsistent, very frustrating at times as not sure why and hard to stop it.

But all in all i am enjoying the FMC version, What are your thoughts at the moment with FMC?

Cheers mate, thanks for reading the quest so far.

SELANGER FK

So after the poor end to the season that saw our efforts in the first half of the season look like nothing we finished in 8th, a better position than the previous year where we saved ourselves from relegation.

This season i am looking for a little more progress with the board still content on keeping in the league and avoiding relegation as the main objective.

In terms of the team we pretty much kept the same squad with a couple of of additions there wasn't really many people to choose from the one or two wasn't interested dropping down to this level of football.

Brolin.
Bringing a little strength towards the right hand side of the midfield as i am content on changing the system this year.


Hatungimana.
Another attacking option who can play in the hole behind the strikers for games i need an extra man in midfield to help with possession.


Apart from that i've loaned out the youngsters that came in last years crop of youth players and this years goalkeeper.


Friendlies.


A change in system looking for a little more consistency so far not seeing much of a change to be honest with 3 wins and 3 losses in pre season.

April and May


Umedalen - Not much happened in this game, it was a story of two penalties first it was Ahman scoring for Selanger and then mid way in the second half a badly given away penalty saw Umedalen getting the equaliser ending in a draw.

Skelleftea FF - Newly promoted team that got relegated in the first season came back, it wasn't much better we haven't been about to convert any chances since moving more towards the 442 but we keeping team at bay. A tale of set pieces was the second game, as we scored from a corner and then conceded just the same.

Ostersund - Our first win of the season and comfortable performance too, disappointed in not keeping a clean sheet but a late goal from Ostersund wasn't going to threaten what was 3 points in the bag. (3 goals from Khreis)

Robertsfors - Rooted to the bottom of the table before this game and yes it was just what the script was going to write a first win of the campaign for the newly promoted team. Disappointing game!

Marienhem - Bounced back very nicely dominating the game it could of been more than 3 goals.

Anundsjo - Last time they was in this league they dominated and it was looking like it was same old, same old. Top of the league again but they didn't prove to be a test for my Selanger side, an easier game than i thought it would be gives me hope for the rest of the season closed in still 2nd. (2 goals from Khreis)

Assi - Seem to be struggling at the moment being bottom of the league, but that doesn't give me the confidence that we could easily beat Assi as we know that it's written for an upset. Lucky it wasn't going to be the case and a 4-2 win. (Another 2 goals for Khreis)

Not a bad start to the new season, hopefully the results can continue.

June


As we enter june looking to extend our run of wins and look for that first promotion. We come up against Moron.

Moron - A game i was hoping for a little more, and being away from home thought a draw would be good enough. But that wasn't the case. Moron showed us up, even though we took the lead on the 8th minute through Khreis. The game seemed to slip away from us, even Khreis seconded goal and 7th of the season wasn't enough to get us the valuable point as we lose 4-2

Pitea - Pitea who seem to be on a small run of late, come to the Bergsakers IP. After a goalless first half and not much happening it turned into the Petter Thelin show in the seconded half scoring 2 goals in ten minutes to get the 3 points and get the season back on track.

Tegs SK - Another game at home, a great start for Selanger with Thelin scoring after 3 minutes before Tegs SK replied and went ahead on the 26th minute, it took Khreis until the 84th minute to get a late equaliser and earn Selanger a draw.

Last game of the month and halfway point in the season.

Solleftea GIF - Away from home we don't look to good, we either turn up or get smashed. In this case we failed to turn up and lose 3-0.



Halfway point we are 7 points behind in 4th but it's all to play for, as long as we can get a small run together we hopefully can challenge for promotion fingers crossed.

a little inconsistant but its not an awful start buddy so keep it going!

I like the FMC, as you said at times it is too strpped back, the lack of staff ans players search is annoying but it runs smothly and quickly

SELANGER FK

Last time we see Selanger sitting in 4th place halfway through the season.

July


We started off well beating Skelleftea FF at home, before losing the next two games against both being away at Umedalen and Ostersund. We lost a little bit on the teams above us but not as much as i thought so we still in with a shout. A win at home to end the month against Robertsfors. Another inconsistent month, we need to make sure these don't happen to regularly.

August


First game of the month was at home, which saw us draw against bottom of the table Assi, games we really need to be winning. Before my biggest loss to date against Anundsjo 6-2 away. Back home in the next game and another draw against Mariehem 0-0 before losing to Pitea 1-0 to end a disappointing month and pretty much out of the running now for promotion.

September


3 games left of the season, and we find ourselves not far away from 10th place and the relegation playoff, the season has really turned it self upside down. First we was looking like promotion and now we are fighting for survival. The month started off okay with a draw at Tegs SK, still with some breathing space.

Moron was up next at home and i am going to upload the goals in this game. To show you what sort of goals are being scored and also being conceded at this level. A comfortable 3-0 win gave us a little daylight.

Goals against Moron

Table before last game!

Last game of the season against Solleftea GIF and a gave we can't lose. After losing an early goal, Thelin equalised after 15 minutes and then an own goal after 36th minute saw us going into half time. Second half was an even affair but the last 25 minutes got very tense as Nyman equalised for Solleftea GIF. We held on for the draw.

League Table


We survived another season, but again we lose the chase in the second half of the season. Seconded year in a row we are 9 points behind the overall winners. We didn't lose as many games, but we have drawn a few more.

Not a bad season buddy, definitely another building block for you!