WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
I've tried many times to start a journeyman save since I started playing CM/FM back in 01/02, but due to various reasons I've never really kept at the save for long. Here's hoping that with the motivation of updating this story, as well as my older age, would keep me to it!

I will start in Europe because that's the continent I'm most familiar with, but I'll be starting with neither qualifications nor reputation. No specific targets in mind either, though as an Arsenal fan I'm secretly hoping that I'll be offered the job eventually and lead the club to success.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/PZzLLUdZUoHMHGskY09rP5ZMAr6EhFa2Cnjrr39S.png

Management history

14 July 2019 - Present

Ekenäs Idrottsförening (EIF) - Finland Ykkönen


WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
As expected, my journeyman save begins with many interviews at obscure clubs all around Europe. There were some interesting options (Limerick FC in Ireland was really tempting), but the chance of trying to save a club from relegation in Finland stoked my interest for sure. So our journey really starts at Ekenäs Idrottsförening, or EIF for short.

Ekenäs Idrottsförening

EIF currently plays in Ykkönen, which is the second highest tier of football in Finland. It is a sports club formed in 1905, and plays our matches in the cosy 800-seater Ekenäs Centrumplan in Ekenäs. The Finnish football season lasts from April till October, and EIF had ended the 2018 season in 3rd place. However, they did not do so well in the 2019 season and decided to bring in the changes by hiring me.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/RQTmgtKqrgb85mhB0XXAtjjLzXrKk62LXFlOstWv.png

We were rock bottom when I took over, but thanks to a hard-fought draw in my debut match we are no longer propping up the table.

Our finances, while relatively secure, is limited and hence there will be no transfers for now. Hopefully we can do what the board expects, and start the next season better.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/ykeUUEkr5zP7N60KvlXBmKELKrAif1ZLDC8W0HCU.png

Next update: Season round-up for Ykkönen 2019
TinakoFM
10 years ago
3 days ago
1,522
Love a journeyman save! Good luck!
WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
Thank you! Hope I'll be able to see this one through
bigmattb28
10 years ago
19 hours ago
1,474
Premium
Good league Finland. Good luck.
WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
Good league Finland. Good luck.


Thank you!
WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
End of 2019 Season Update

We are tasked with one job - to not be involved in the relegation battle but unfortunately our poor form put us right in the thick of action. A "new manager bounce" had us go unbeaten in 4 matches, before the team deflated into a run of 6 matches without a win.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/FqOKDxllQUPccTyY8wesetIaWVyDl58eyHcGOWbK.png

Luckily for us, we managed to scrap through through pure luck, and we remain in the Ykkönen at the expense of AC Kajaani.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/tgpRX6TmBgM8LQpngfttYQ33TaswPs2sTiypAZcR.png

Really happy that my first season ended on a somewhat happy note. The 2020 season will have significant rule changes which actually gives EIF an outside shot at promotion, so finishing top half will be a very important objective this year.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/tEPV91lEWnSqX0GKskKXjWgnTs4hTm1k8jKPqBWE.png

Hence I decided to really improve the squad and this is the summary of our transfer dealings. I believe I brought in 3 exciting players that should help me do well with wing play - Erfan Zeneli (former Finnish international), Mathias Bersang Sorensen, and Toze Marreco.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/x9gl5IpkG6XLEQuzYX1WqfFoQgtWFTXDG0jRpnvy.png
Zeneli

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/MB53Su7iUYGOy1qyaJGKgz5uRBGxAEw8yWoCUu3o.png
Sorensen

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/ftr6xUPNeDEqBdVBnfMSlgPFBywFGDR7WhoWwqDW.png
Marreco

The season is now starting after a long 4 months break, and the next update will be the the end of Ykkönen. Hopefully we'll be involved in the promotion playoff!
TinakoFM
10 years ago
3 days ago
1,522
Survival is all that matters from that!
Interested to see if you can push on next season.
WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
Yes me too! Really excited to see how next season unfold. Only thing about Finnish league is that the breaks are so long
WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
End of 2020 Season Update

An incredible end to the season, and EIF will join the Veikkausliiga (Finnish top tier) in 2021!

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/vtR0lycBeoSW4R45pb9qB96VJHzjeeLVrcoErTW6.png

As I mentioned in the earlier post, because of the 2020 season rule changes all teams in the top half will be placed in a separate Promotion Group where they play an additional round against each other before going into promotion playoffs. We just about made it to the top half after some losses in midseason threatened to derail our outside shot at promotion.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/UobWyaorLeZGAcEV16kc9xpxj5HcVHCd6hBCY1xs.png
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/91bXxzaCKoGjOKMrT6iMKActhjbhNj6H3dVHUOZ4.png

But despite being among the lower seeds in the Promotion Group, we somehow managed to go unbeaten during the Promotion Group stage and ended up being top seed for the playoffs... And then actually winning the Veikkausliiga/Ykkönen Playoff for promotion!

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/2v2dZ3yrG6RIc7iuCkwPs328BybtMrwm6sNj0PIS.png
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/1sBfrOrGDIdx42wsHQkj6lfc9zMqtqb5b8UGWUXr.png

Credit has to go to new signings Toze Marreco who finished as top scorer of Ykkönen, as well as Erfan Zeneli who contributed 13 assists and 8 goals.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/wUA6trT6ymX43wy3YoMhkvoHUTXDN6t3kD1bI4z9.png

Now the big question is - do I stay or do I go?
EIF has been good for me, career-wise. They sponsored my studies and now I've got a National B License. Because of the promotion my reputation has increased as well. They're also going from semi-pro to pro next season, which brings about its own interesting challenges.

However, I'm also keen to further my career and explore another league so I'm actually leaning towards running down my contract that ends in Nov 2020, then looking for greener pastures. Any thoughts?
WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
End of 2021 Season Update, and preview of 2022 Season

After guiding EIF to a fortuitous promotion in 2021, I got a little too ambitious and actually quit without a job thinking that I could join a more reputable club. I was very wrong and ended up being unemployed for 3 months before signing with Limerick FC in January 2021, a team that no longer exists in real life.
Limerick FC

Limerick FC within the game plays in the SSE Airtricity League First Division, which is the second tier of football in the Republic of Ireland. It is a semi-professional club that was founded in 1937. They actually qualified for European football between the 60s and 80s, and almost beat Real Madrid in the first round of the 80/81 European Cup (the Champions League back then). Sadly, the club has shut down in 2020 due to financial issues. Nevertheless, they remain in FM and I'm hoping to keep them alive and competitive!
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/OQdom5VSl8KJtfnZQwrKZ5VyZBEfzn5gaTSTOX2Y.png

2021 Season

Our season started relatively okay, with some narrow wins and a slim defeat to promotion candidate Finn Harps. But unfortunately the team soon disintegrated afterwards, notching up only two wins between mid-March 2021 and the end of the season in October 2021.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/jDMo3nTB6x25GGnNBrs35RDhftRqIOvx7Erv2Hcs.png
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/BsFRDTtwJlxevcKlJLQDBjiuV6olBklcdJH6qdOS.png

And because of that unbelievable run, we ended up 8th on the table despite being predicted to finish in the top half. Overall, the squad's performance was very disappointing as well.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/zzqCFiMA5WfrKQFcPemIbp6GbpL3U4xsKvoaOrM9.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/APuS6HYgJ6WMdSDAlXzyaKW7TLEMJ5CD8DI9Rg9Q.png

Almost as unbelievable as the run was the fact that the Limerick board actually decided to stick with me through this run, and even sponsored my National A License and Continental C License! So despite being very annoyed by the underperforming squad, I've committed to stay on for another season and hopefully do a lot better. I've focused on strengthening the defence in the team, and have added the Garry Breen, Ryan Dooney, Mark Dignam, and Keith Dalton to the team:

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/hGW5qrThrNC01FnS2NkePRlF1PT1VerYoFHElDvv.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/u7r8wLEtAXA3Yng4A4XGbxJMGtVlovx8uW0q7FCO.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/Sma6upBEP3isv1Xbklqrx0ZMd1bwPUQ3UhtArIwA.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/Cu95ff8MFjyVQa4jD5MoLoKqGWeMlv3X6He4RhTD.png

Hopefully things will be a lot better in the second season, like in my EIF stint!
TinakoFM
10 years ago
3 days ago
1,522
Congrats on that promotion in Finland!
Not the best start with Limerick, a club I've also managed on FM20 as well! I'm sure you'll push on next season!
WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
Congrats on that promotion in Finland!
Not the best start with Limerick, a club I've also managed on FM20 as well! I'm sure you'll push on next season!

Thanks! Not the best start with Limerick indeed! Pity what happened to them in real life though.
WhyHX
11 years ago
2 years ago
16
2022 Season Update

Inconsistency seems to be the name of my game. Despite starting relatively okay with Limerick FC, we then went on to have a start-stop season.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/csZmvcqyryyKAApzIyfOC8RrMCRWP4QYe1VWi9oS.png
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/oZcrrEObOuhZT6XfTRdzDmsWhLKxp2vKfppB6Zk5.png

Nonetheless, our main striker Conor Layng had one hell of a season by knocking home 14 goals past opponent goalies! In fact, he was just one goal short of being the joint winner for the Bronze Boot award for 2022.

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/Vyk94bpingsvzjD4KVFrNRYRJquoQJFHQwhEXEk5.png

But alas, his best ever season did not put us on track for a playoff place and we had to settle for mid-table mediocrity. It was a really disappointing season for me because this was the first time I really had an influence on building the squad, and had signed players that I thought would make a difference with their physicality. It was not to be!

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/LjQLIroA3Mck6DxcpaJcDXfmiNnZV5iO2YEyE8Lb.png

As the season drew to a close, my heart started fluttering once again. Perhaps it is time to get a move on? Limerick FC's obsession with having the best youth facilities within Ireland despite not having any money was starting to get annoying, and I am a bit more confident about my reputation with my spanking new Continental B Licence. And hence, I announced my decision to step down.

Off to the job centre we go, once again!

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