[FM24] Another shot at redemption

We all have those moments of uncertainty, or those moments of what if I did this differently, or what if I did that in a different way. Heartbreaking moments that stick with us forever.

What if Ronaldo (Brazilian) never got so many injuries. Why didn't Kane pass to Sterling against Croatia? Peschisolido against Arsenal, anywhere else and Seaman wouldn’t have pulled off that worldie of a save. Too many other moments of what if in football, but you get the point.

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I take absolutely zero credit for the idea behind this save but it’s a challenge I’ve always wanted to do. The idea came from some threads over at the SI forum and on the site I used to be a blogger for before it shut down. Manutd1, the user over on the SI boards, made this his yearly thing and posted long successful stories on the boards and on his site, but he mainly stuck to the European version of the challenge.

Currently TheLutterworthfox is doing this on his own site, but again the European version of it. I am not going to be able to replicate Ian’s (Manutd1) epic tales, I may never even finish it. But I will be giving it a good go and just like my current save, The Journeyman Jock (which is still going) I am going to be adding some narrative to this one.

This thread is about the 'nearly men' of football, as in the runners up of the Champions Leagues and the respective continents national trophy and trying to win the competition they got to the final of and failed to win.

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The CAF Champions League is the African version of our own Champions League, and since the first final in 1965, then known as the African Cup of Champions, changed to it’s current format and name in 1997,  there have been 46 different teams getting to a final, with 20 of them getting there and losing, and not winning it since. This is my story of these 20 unlucky teams. 

At the start of the game (FM24) the following 20 teams have reached the final of the African Champions League and lost:

Africa Sports (1986)

Al-Hilal (1987, 1992)

AS Dragons (Known then as - AS Bilima; 1980, 1985)

Ashanti Gold (1997)

Coton Sport (2008)

CS Sfaxien (2006)

Dynamos (1998)

Enugu Rangers (1975)

Étoile Filante (1968)

Ghazl Al-Mehalla (1974)

Heartland (1988, 2009)

Kaiser Chiefs (2021)

MC Oran (1989)

Nkana Red Devils (1990)

Real Bamako (1966)

SC Villa (1991)

Shooting Stars (1984, 1996)

Simba FC (1972)

Stade Malien (1965)

USM Alger (2015)

Also, there have been 5 nations that have gotten to the African Cup of Nations final, only to fall at that hurdle and have not got back there and won. These are:

Burkina Faso (2013)

Guinea (1976)

Libya (1982)

Mali (1972)

Uganda (1978)

The aim for this save is to win the competition the above teams failed to win. If any of the above teams win the African Champions League or African Cup of Nations by the computer in game they are removed from the challenge. Likewise if any other team, as in not listed above, gets to the final of the Champions League or African Nations cup and fails to win it and hasn't won it previously, they become eligible. I had intended to include the Confederations Cup as well, however that would bring the eligible teams at the start up to 29, and no way I'd manage to get all those in. Also in the unlikely event an African nation gets to the World Cup final and loses, I may add them to the list purely for the World Cup.

There are a couple of rules I must follow though. First is no save scumming. I hate this! When you see people posting or blogging and you know they’ve been save scumming or adding / removing managers. I play FM for realism. Also until I get myself either to a 2.5 star team or my own rep gets to 2.5, the director of football at each club is going to be in charge of player signings. I won’t lie, I don’t know many players currently playing in Africa, so having the game scout players in positions I say we need is probably the best thing to do, realism!

Second is once I have won the Champions League, IF I win it, I must leave that club. No getting attached to my shiny African wonderkids or my ageing free transfers that won it for me, no building a dynasty, I must go. Another rule is I don’t have to stay at the club until I win the Champions League. As a couple of the eligible teams start in the second or even third division of their respective country it could take some time to become a Champions League winning quality team. I can come and go as I please if needed but if I get sacked from an eligible team, they’re not discarded, I must go back and win it with them, unless of course the AI does that in game, then they are removed from the challenge.

Manutd1 tended to sim a few years at the start to get a unique game world, but I’m not doing that. The reason is on FM24 a handful of the eligible teams (Etoile Filante, Simba FC, Ashanti Gold, Africa Sport to name a few) find themselves lower down the leagues at the start, so starting at a low rep team (again, realism innit!) and building both myself and the first club up seems the right way to go to me.

I might get sacked plenty of times before I get anywhere near qualifying for the Champions League, which is a big possibility, but we’ll see. Updates will be at the very least once a week.

With that out of the way, let’s get into it shall we.

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Another shot at redemption - When in Lomé

The story starts in July 2023. The flight finally, after a 3 hour delay, leaves Cape Town airport. The flight itself, a whopping 100 hours all in, via Ethiopia, then Cameroon before finally, mercifully landing at Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport. I would have driven it, but felt going through multiple borders, security, hotels, stopovers and what not, that a flight lasting the best part of a week was my best bet. Where is this airport I hear you ask? Well it’s in Togo, the city of Lomé to be precise, which is the country’s capital and most populous city.

Lomé sits on the south coast of Togo, the airport is a short 15 minute drive in the capital city to the Stade Oscar Anthony, our hero’s new home for the foreseeable.

The capital of Togo, a country not really known for it’s football, well apart from Emmanuel Adebayor, but a country with something to prove. Well, the 1 football club on my current list of 20 will have a thing to prove once I get my feet through the door.

When the plane landed there was no entourage, no limo waiting, no fanfare. Nothing. The subsequent taxi ride went from the airport for what seemed an eternity, but by the time it made it's way to the stadium the reality of what was happening started kicking in. ‘Shit’ was all I could think.

‘Huh?’ the taxi driver replied

‘Oh, nothing’ I said before adding ‘actually, remember the name won’t you’ and I got out and walked across the road.

‘I’m doing this, I’m actually going to do this. No one knows who I am, not yet’ was what I said to no one in particular. ‘I’m African, but in Africa I am still a no one, a Billy no mates, I'm not quite a never-was but I am also not a has been, not like the clubs on my list. But somehow I managed to convince the board that I am something else, something Africa doesn’t have and they went and believed me. More fool them eh!’ again, to no one in particular, but I did get a few curious looks from the couple of people standing by the turnstile as I made my way into the reception area of the stadium.

I was finally here, after a long trip, and I’m about to take training at a club that has won it’s fair share of trophies, but is now residing in the 2éme league, the second division. On my notepad I’d jotted down - We’re only going to have 1 objective, and that is to win the Champions League! that I would be putting on a wall in the home dressing room. However, the Champions League is a quite some way away just yet. I’ve got to get this team out of the second division, survive in the top division, improve the playing squad, actually qualify for the Champions League, but then we win it. Simple right.

But that’s the plan, and I’ll be taking one step at a time, I’ve not even met the players of the current squad yet.

‘Name?’ the receptionist asked

‘My name is Jean D’Arre, from Cape Town, South Africa. And I am on a mission’.

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Étoile Filante du Togo, runners up in the 1968 Champions League final against TP Englebert of DR Congo, now known as TP Mazembe, over 2 legs suffering a 6-4 aggregate defeat, despite winning the second leg at home 4-1. That 5-0 first leg drubbing pretty much winning the final for TP Englebert / Mazembe.

As clubs in demise go, these are pretty much the definition of. As you can see they’ve won the top division in Togo a decent enough 18 times, although the last came way back in 1992. The clubs last proper trophy came in 1994, winning the Togo version of the FA cup. They did manage to win the Togolese Second Division Pool A last year, which is the division and group we’re in this, although the club weren’t promoted, not sure why.

The club finds itself in the 2éme league, which to us English speakers is the second division, aka the Togolese version of the SkyBet Championship. The Stade Oscar Anthony, presumably named after a former player called Oscar Anthony (maybe, possibly?) is in terrible condition, but I’m not concerned, I intend this to be a whistle stop tour of the second division, as me and Etoile Filante rise up the ranks and conquer Togo and the Champions League in record time. 

That may or may not be hyperbole, you be the judge.

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Another shot at redemption - When in Lomé chapter 2

‘Who?’ is a word you could use for both the club and me as their newly appointed first team manager. Despite having no qualifications, no meaningful or relevant ones anyway, to aid my quest in the glory filled world of football management, albeit in a small country in Western Africa, at a small club that hasn’t won anything for quite some time, I’m here to make a start and a difference.

‘What do you mean, no actual players?’ I said to the clubs director of football

‘Well, on the team sheet, as you can see, are a lot of names that are greyed out*’

‘Yes I see that, but where is my playing squad? How am I meant to win the Champions League without a team?’

The short man chuckled like I’d said a questionable joke only a select few people would appreciate, and then made a remark I’m sure he wasn’t expecting to be followed up on ‘well you could always ask those lads out front if they want to play for you?’

I turned to the window and saw a handful of young men, differing in ages all playing football in a park next to the stadium. I walked over, asked them all to come around and said ‘how would you lot like to play for Etoile Filante, on a non contract basis of course?’ They all agreed**

After signing 12 terrible players to a deal, the talk moved to the director of football actually signing some real players to complement the newly acquired ones

‘At least 1 other striker, I can’t rely on any of these to score anything’ I said matter of factly

‘A striker’ he wrote on his notepad and said ‘next?’

‘I must have a couple of central midfielders. These sorry excuses for midfielders can’t control their bladder never mind control the middle of the pitch’

‘2 center mids, got it, next’

‘A captain. I don’t care if he’s a winger, full back, goalie, ticket checker, coach driver, kitchen porter, I just want someone that’s gonna keep the rest in check’

‘Captain….yep, next’

‘A winger, preferably one that can play both sides’

‘Winger, bisexual, got ya, next’

‘No, no, no not playing both sides like that, not that there’s anything wrong with that, other than being greedy, but I mean he can play on the left or right’

‘Oh sorry, got ya’

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* There were 12 greyed out players in the first team squad page who are absolutely terrible, you know what I’m referring to.

** All 12 were offered contracts. Those greyed out players are all now full players with faces and personal details, but still absolutely dire.

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When that chat ended so did my first day at the club. I had already arranged for the newly un-greyed out players to take part in a game against the still greyed out players of the reserve side for the following morning at 08:00 sharp.

‘If this was anything to go by then the rest of the teams in Group A of 2eme division should be quaking in their boots’ I quipped to clubs assistant manager who just looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here, and probably didn’t realise I was being sarcastic. 

8-0 to the first team was the end result if you’re wondering.

Unless all the other teams in the prestigious 2eme are using greyed out players, I can expect the team will have to put a bit more effort come the season start though. After warming down and congratulating the boys on a job well done, I had a call from the director of football, and he says he’s signed the players I requested.

‘I didn’t request any specific players, just positions’ I countered, to which he disagrees, although the club do have a healthy number of new players ready to take the Togolese second division by storm, so here they are in all their glory

Idrissou Safianou and Thomas Chimenya will play together at center midfield.

Jonathan Ayite as the new striker. He will partner Abdourazak Koriko up front who was already at the club upon my arrival.

Komlan Gbadago is the clubs new left full back and will be doubling up as captain this season.

Finally through the door is left winger Said Souleymane. The only singing the fans of the club have liked seeing brought in though. The director of football also made a lot of youth player signings throughout the window, as he complements the formally greyed out but now not greyed out players with some more actual players. We’ll be keeping an eye on them as the season unfolds.

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After a whirlwind first couple of days at the club, we had some friendly games in which we completed without much fanfare 

1 thing to note, in the friendly games other than the first game all the teams all had those greyed out players, and Espoir FC and Dyto FC are both in the Togolese top division. Don’t know how or if this will affect us moving forward though..

I had a look into the club, and other than knowing they bottled the 1968 Champions League final, I don’t know much else. The second division as already noted in Togo is split into 2 groups, called groups A & B, very creative. 

The top 2 of each group get promoted to the top division, no play offs just straight up promotion. After taking a look at the league and pretending I know some of the team names, and familiarising myself with the transfer rules I’m ready to get this season underway.

With the transfers in the door, friendly games played and the season about to start, we can take a quick look at this season's Champions League which is in full swing.

The current holders Al-Ahly (also 20/21 & 19/20 winners) of Egypt are nowhere to be seen, knocked out in the first round by South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. Wydad Casablanca (21/22 & 2017 winners) also failed to make the group stage.

I assume that ES Tunis of Tunisia are going to be one of the favourites, along with 5 times in a row South African league winners Mamelodi Sundowns. Hafia FC of Guinea, 2 times winners are probably going to be up there too. We’ll be keeping an eye on the progress of the Champions League, as well as the African Cup of Nations when that starts in January 2024.

For now though we’re just about to get competitive action underway for Etoile Filante, as Union Sportive Koroki Métété (no, me neither) are our first opponents. 

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Another shot at redemption - When in Lomé chapter 3

I’m not confident in my ability to tweak things, not yet anyway. We’d set up with the tried and tested 4-4-2, and it’s worked wonders. 13 games in and 11 wins to boot. I should be satisfied with that, who wouldn’t be? 

However if we look a bit deeper into things it turns out most of the league are using greyed out players, which tells me that they haven’t got a director of football as good as mine to advise them to offer contracts to those nobodies. It also tells me that we’ll have to try harder when we come up against teams with actual players, case in point being the 3-1 loss at home to Arabia FC, not to be confused with, or affiliated in any way to Saudi Arabia. I think.

I’m under no illusions that a win the ball back and hoof it long to the front 2 tactic (a-la Stoke City) is going to work in the top division, or even in the cup against some actual players (see: no greyed out players) but until then we’re sticking with what brought us to the dance.

Rounding out the first 6 months of my career was the fact that with 11 minutes left to play against the aforementioned Arabia FC, we’re losing 2-1 but very much still in the game, and we went all out attack by bringing off Safianou in the middle and sticking young Diallo up top in a bastardised 4-1-2-3 formation . It would’ve paid off I’m telling you, only if Ayite didn't get his ankle broken by the last defender as he burst forward. In any other league in any other part of the world it’s a straight red, the defender is the last man, he’s not just clipped Ayite but knocked him into the nether realm and snapped his ankle in the process, but it was no dice, the ref only waved for a free kick to us with no card, red or otherwise.

As Ayite is stretchered off, we can’t make any more subs so we’re down to 10. The free kick came in from the left but got cleared by the first man and we’re caught on the counter and concede to make it 3-1 to them, game over.

I’m not going to panic, we’ve got young Kodjovi Diallo, (9 games / 6 goals) and Koriko (12 games / 14 goals) still fit and ready to play, but that’s it as forwards go. Ayite's season is over, and he contemplates retirement. I do speak to him but don’t offer any promises on his return as by then he’ll be 39 and next season will be a few months old. We may or may not be in the top division by then as well.

Granted, young Diallo isn’t on par with Ayite, not yet anyway, but he’s done well. He can finish and has a good touch, remember we’re in the doldrums of the football league at the minute so his stats can be considered decent, he never gets tired thanks to a high natural fitness and his off the ball skill is okay. His 6 in 9 appearances aren’t too shabby either, but the director of football, whose name I still haven’t learned, wanted me to take a look at something.

‘Here, see this’ he says and pushes a bunch of papers at me. ‘Look at this page here with Kokou Adjima written on it’ so I did

‘Ignore the red arrows for now’ I was going to mention them, but he continued ‘look at the stats for the reserves league our under 18’s are in’ as he pushed another stack of papers my way. I did as instructed and found the page with the reserves league on

‘Nothing to shout home about, 5th in the league, 20 points off top spot, what’s your point? 

‘My point Jean (he said this in a condescending way, they way you tell your kid something that they should already know, like why they should brush their teeth every day), is that young Kokou has scored 26 goals in 21 games’ he then said this part as if he’d just won the lottery or the Togo version of the Great British Bake off.

‘That is impressive actu….’ he cut me off

‘He’s the answer to our striker problem!’

‘I’m not convinced’ I tried telling him. ‘I’m not sure banging goals in for fun in the under 18’s league is going to mean he’ll score in the proper league’

‘He will trust me’

Adjima was 1 of the many players that the director of football signed when I joined the club, and until Ayite got injured I probably wouldn’t have ever looked at him. But with that I moved Adjima into the first team to play back up to Koriko and Diallo. 

I also note that the teams in the under 18’s division also have all greyed out players. Is this the footballing world in Togo playing tricks on me? Or is Kokou’s record a red herring, much like Koriko and Diallo’s? Time will tell I’m sure.

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Moving on from our own club matters, we can take a look around Africa at some of the other eligible sides. As fate would have it the USM Alger (2015 runner ups, Algerian top division side) chairman sold his stake in the club, and they were taken over by someone named Karel Poborksy, you may have heard of him

This is class really. He’s quite well known and in his day maybe could’ve been classed as a world class player, he was fairly decent mind, but him taking over this team could be huge for them. Before the takeover they were the 10th richest Algerian team, they’re now fourth so I am expecting some progress on the field, and you never know they might win the Champions League in game before I get chance to manage them.

From one end of the alphabet to the other as we go from Algeria to Zambia, and Nkana Red Devils (1990 runners up) sacked their manager after 14 games (13 league and 1 cup), 6 losses, 6 draws and 2 wins.

I won’t be doing anything other than keeping an eye on this. They’re a MTN Super division (top division) team and 2 star rep, and I’m not going to get that job yet anyway.

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As noted earlier, the tactic that has been used until New Year is the tried, tested, loved and loathed ol’ faithful 4-4-2 that’s got us where we are after 6 months. Nothing flash, just 2 banks of 4, with the the wingers and full backs supporting each other going forward and coming back as a unit, the 2 center mids doing their thing while the 2 forwards stay forward. Those green lines give me a sense of accomplishment I won’t lie.

We’ve never had to hold on to a lead really, the draw away we conceded first so stuck to our guns, and the 3-1 loss we were on top for the most part, gave away a cheap goal and then conceded the third after being down to 10 men. I won’t be changing this unless injuries or something else force me to. We do have a second tactic being trained, which is just a defensive 4-4-2, the forwards changed to pressing forwards, everyone else on defend duty.

We find ourselves still progressing in the cup, the third round no less, against another team I’ve never heard of, Tchaoudjo AC.

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As part of the signing of Gbadago I forgot that I promised him we’d develop the center halves at the club, and the 2 from the group of kids I signed on my first day here Moustapha Mawuéna & Djéné Sewonou, have been ever present in the team. Best of a bad bunch is probably how I’d describe them.

They’re improving enough for our captain to be happy though, so we don’t need to worry on that front.

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Finally, we’ve been given mixed signals by our head of youth development regarding the upcoming youth intake. My first as a manager.

I get it, they’re pretty poor players coming through, hence the D and E ratings, however the ratings are comparative to the other players at the club and in the league we’re in, thereby giving us the excellent intake rating of 4.5 stars. We shall see if any of the players come in are any better than the players already at the club, I suspect there will be.

Lastly the board are happy at the minute, long may it continue.

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