Nordic nights & Scandinavian days

After a hiatus from most things (online forums, FM, Xbox and so on) I’ve found myself with the itch to get back on to FM.

I’ve had plenty of saves on here, and for various reasons I’ve not completed most of them. My most recent attempt, a redemption story, stopped abruptly as I just didn’t have the urge to play any computer games at all not just FM. But with me now working from home and being locked down due to current world events, I’ve got the bug for FM again, just not the most recent versions.

If you haven't read any of my previous threads, basically my laptop seems to take an age processing FM20 and the fans go into overdrive during matches, FM19 presented me with 3 game breaking glitches that put me off for life, FM18 just no, so I find myself (yet again) playing the most complete version of the game, FM17.
So what is this save exactly? A journey around the Nordic countries, something I’ve always fancied doing but never got around to it.

The aim is simple enough, win the top division in each of the Nordic countries, those being Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. No extra leagues added (sorry Faroe Islands) so just leagues from the vanilla game. This isn't like the British and Irish steel where I am going to aim to win every league in these countries, it wouldn’t make sense anyway as in the Swedish 4th division there are 4 leagues divided by geographical locations, so say win 1 and get promoted to the third division, just to go back and win another doesn’t seem realistic to me.

The rules I've set myself are 2 fold. The first is that I can move to any team as freely as I want, however they must only be a Nordic team until I have won all 5 top divisions, in no particular order. If / when I win a top division, I don't have to leave and not return to that country. If I feel the opportunity makes good narrative sense, or if I just like the idea of managing in a league again, I'm not stopping myself from doing so. So I could win the Allsvensken multiple times if I like the team or I don't feel like moving on.

If I do indeed win all 5 Nordic countries top divisions, then I am able to move to any other nation freely as the second part of the challenge is to top the hall of fame, and to that I am going to need to be in a higher rep league than any Nordic country. This isn't to say I am going to go straight to the Premier League or Serie A, again if I like the team or it makes for a good narrative, the opportunities are endless.

International management is allowed free reign however so if any country comes calling I can play it by ear.

So here is the start of this challenge then, and an unknown Icelandic manager by the name of Òlafur Pøülsón (thanks Icelandic name generator) as he sets out to win the 5 Nordic top divisions on route to topping the world wide hall of fame, hopefully. Updates will be at the very least once a week.



We start by declaring our interest in Swedish third division team FC Hollviken. Quick shout out to @Franjo , if you’ve read his incredible story, you’ll know this is the team he started at.




A few days later, we get the offer of an interview, which we attend



A day later than that, and we land the first job on the journey.



Bad times at the minute as this team have won a grand total of 2 games in 15 attempts and sit in last place in the league







In a matter of 2 days we’ve signed with the team and now face my opening game, which is against Trollhatten. My go to formation has always been 4-1-4-1 and that’s how we line up








An even first half where we more or less cancelled each other out, we went in at 0-0. Second half we went on the offensive, and the game was over within 5 second half minutes. On the hour mark we took the lead, a nice over the top ball was controlled by Persson with 1 touch, then buried with a second. Straight from kick off we got a second as we pressured them into a poor back pass which Persson got on the end of and put it past the keeper, 2-0 and we’re cruising now. 2 minutes after that, another ball over the top of the defence found Persson beating the offside trap to control the ball again and slide under the keeper, 3-0 and if this is how the team can play then surely there’s absolutely no thoughts of relegation.



That brings us to the end of the opening post of this save. Aims in the short term are obviously to survive in the league, after then well who knows, but we’ve got to stay up first.

Thanks for reading. Next update will be the next round of games and any other business.

Good luck and welcome back.

Cheers mate, been a while since I posted. Hope you're well.

Good luck @bigmattb28, good to see you back

Thanks for the kind words mate. Good to to be back

Ah it's so good to see you back with a new story! The Scandinavian countries always interested me, but never got round to it properly!

Best of luck fella, and you know as always, you've got me on board. (I think you've just convinced me to start a new save)

Thanks for the kind words man! Just seen your new thread, following that with interest!!

I’m not really sure how or why Hollviken are bottom of the league, as my new team continued where they left off last time as we went and beat Norby 2-1 away before going down 2-0 to Osters.





2 games with 4 goals followed, as we thumped Ovidig 4-0 before going down 4-2 at home to Tvakkers.





Another loss albeit a tough one to take was next, as we went down 3-2 away to Osters, where they scored a late winner in the 92nd, very disappointing to lose that one. We made amends as yet again we scored 4 in an away win over Mjallby.





This brings us to the end of August, having played 21 games and sitting 12th.





There’s 5 games to go and we’re only 1 point from safety so everything to play for.

Our first game in September saw us run out 3-2 winners over Oddevold, and 2 of our goals came in first half stoppage time. The second of which was clocked at 45+3, despite only 2 minutes of extra time being added. They pulled it back to 3-2 but we held on.







A loss and a draw followed as we lost to Utsiktens and drew with KSF Prespa with 2 games remaining.





We’re now sitting 10th and 2 points from the relegation play off place and 3 above automatic relegation



2 games left to play in the opening season of this challenge, if we can win the first then I would say we're as good as safe but you never know what can happen. 1 thing I've seen though is this team can certainly score goals, Persson has scored in nearly every game, but at the other end of the pitch the team do like to concede goals as well.

That’s it for this update. Next update will be our final 2 games of my maiden season here and if we manage to survive in this league. Thanks for reading!

Can't complain with that impact!
Hopefully you'll secure survival.

It's looking pretty good since you've come in and took charge! Form has improved, and I'm struggling to see why they were chilling around at the bottom of the league? Weird huh?

Must be that new manager effect. Thanks for the comment and being on board!

So 2 games left and we really are in the driving seat I would say. We just need to win 1 of these 2 games final games and then surely we would be safe.

Things didn’t get off to the best of starts though, as we went down 2-1 away to Oskarshamms, who really controlled this game, and 2-1 flattered us.



We then had the biggest game of the season up next, and home advantage against league leaders and champions elect Landskrona.

We set up as we have in all the games so far, 4-1-4-1 with the idea of getting long balls up to Persson to try and do something with.





Whilst this game was very even, they had that extra bit of quality and ran out 1-0 winners



The result didn’t matter too much as other results elsewhere meant we finished the season in 10th place with 25 points, 2 above the relegation play off places!





My first taste of management sees us finish safe in the league, and a record of 5-1-6.

So with survival wrapped up in my first season, this coming season is all about staying in the league again but not getting dragged into another relegation fight. My first full season in charge of a club is about to being. We’re not the richest of teams by any stretch and make 4 free transfers, center halves Sean Toth and Obaye-Daley, and midfielders Siddiqi and Maraisane.



Whilst we’re expected to finish 11th and in the relegation play off place, I am aiming to finish no lower than 9th, all being well.









In the build up to the start of the new season training has only been on team cohesion and attacking set plays. I genuinley do feel we can survive this season without getting dragged into the relegation places.

In a flash we’re at the start of the new season, an away game against Angelholms Hopefully my confidence can wear off on the team in this game.



Thanks for reading. Only a short update this time, but the next update will be the first few rounds of games in the new season and any other business.

Best of luck for the 2017 season!

Excellent work avoiding the drop. It could've been a difficult ask only coming in for a few games at the end of the season!

I always like it when someone expects to do better than the media expects them to do. Best of luck next season!

Cheers man, a lot of hard work ahead!




Thanks man!

My own confidence didn’t rub off on the team as we were defeated 1-0 in the season opener. We were given a red late on but the game was as good as over by then. Hopefully this isn’t a sign of things to come



We bounced right back in front of all 65 of our own fans though with a resounding 4-0 win over Karlskrona.



Another 4 goal showing, except for our opponents as we were thumped 4-1 away to Vinbergs before the up and down form continued as we won 3-0 at home to Okarshamns, lost 3-1 away to Oddevold, won 2-1 at home to Rosenglad and 2-1 at home to Tvakkers.











Kicking off June saw us record back to back to back draws, 1 all with Usiktens, 2 all with Linkoping & 1 all with Ljungskile.







These draws preceded back to back losses against Osters & Norrby.





The poor form continued to show as we drew with Angelhoms before losses to Husqvarna, Karlstrona and Vinbergs.









The cup game against lower league opposition should’ve provided some respite but we lost against Dalstrops on penalties to really put the pressure on me.



We really need some points soon as this form is going to really put us in trouble.

A draw with Oskarshamms preceded yet more dropped points, as we went down to Rosengrad 4-2.





Once the Rosengrad game was finished, I did the press conference and was asked about my job security, and up until this point I’d not even checked.

I attended an emergency board meeting to discuss our poor form.

I tried to say the games we had were tough but the board weren’t buying it, then I said I don’t know who they’ll get that is better than me, and then that was that. Sacked.







Well I can't deny that I didn't see that coming. I leave with the club in 12th place, with a record of 9-6-16. The results were definitely cause for concern, and probably the right decision to sack me.







Not sure what this sacking will do to my already low rep, but we'll see.

I doubt I'm going to get a job in the same divisions, as Hollviken are a half star team in the third division, but I'll see what's about. It may take a while to get another job.

Thanks for reading. Next update will be what, if any interviews I have and any other business.

That's a shame, hard luck! The cup defeat sums everything up.
Intrigued to see where you'll end up next.

Yeah for sure, not being able to beat a non league team says it all. On to the next one.

As the days ticked by and the number of teams that fired and then hired new managers increased, I have been wanted by a number of teams.

In November, IFK Kumla and Team TG of Sweden, and Leiknir (my managers randomly selected favorite team) of my native Iceland were all keen, but no interviews came, and I didn’t declare my interest



I did however apply for the vacant Torns IF (Sweden) job, and attended the interview.



Just after the interview, I am now wanted by IFK Kumla (still), Grabbeestads, Tenhults IF & Vimmerby, all in the Swedish 4th division.



I do send another application, this to a team that had beaten my Hollviken team in the run up to my sacking, IK Oddevold in the Swedish third division. I also attend the interview.





Whilst waiting to hear back from Oddevold, I apply for 2 jobs in Norway. Gjovik-Lyn and Ullern, both in the Norwegian third division.





But before I could hear back from them, I’m offered and sign a 1 year contract with IK Oddevold, who are still in Division 1 Sodra, the third division in Sweden.



The club managed to finish second in the league in the 2017 season, and lost in the play off against Verbergs BOiS, so a top 2 / 3 finish is where we’ve got to be aiming this time around.







Basic facilities, and no real trophies won, Swedish 4th division is the only 1, and a second placed finish last year means there must be some quality in the squad to at least challenge again.

Despite pre season odds of a 9th place finish, I reckon we can finish top 3.







The only real issue with the Swedish, and I imagine the other Nordic leagues not named Denmark, is there’s a massive 5 month break from the end of 1 season to the next. It’s now April 2017, and the season runs until the end of September. But other than the usual training and tactics set up, I do make a couple of signings, my striker Persson, midfielder Burniku and center half Chris Mann all from my previous team Hollviken, who unfortunately got relegated after finishing bottom of the league. I set the team up in a 4-4-2 formation ready to take on Ljungskile away, a team I drew 1 all with last season.



Hopefully this new team can be the start of the save proper, as I really do think that I can match last seasons 2nd place finish and maybe, just maybe take that extra step.

As always, thanks for reading. Next update will be the first few rounds of the new season and any other business.

Ah shame to get the sack after keeping them up last year, seems like you were in a no win situation with them! Good luck in Sweden, hopefully treats you better

Yeah I saw it coming, you just know when you're in that bad form the next win just doesn't seem like coming. Happy landing at Oddevold though, runners up last year and with a decent enough squad, can see this being a good year.

Decent next job, hopefully you can exceed the media's prediction!

That was a total deadend job. You did a great job keeping them up but it wasn't to be.

I have a better feeling about this one, just because the logo is brighter

Yeah agree mate, the team certainly has some quality, so am looking to progress now.

That's sometimes the case with journeyman saves, the first job is literally just a starting point to get some wins / rep before moving on. Especially in a save like this where I have a defined set of goals, I was never going to achieve anything with Hollviken.

I actually do like the badge as well, it's pretty cool

So job number 2 as well as job number 2 in Sweden kicked off with a hard fought 1-0 away win over Ljungskile. A first half goal was all we needed to get me 3 vital points in my opening game as Oddevold manager.



As for my first home game, another win this time by 2 goals as new boy and former Hollviken striker Persson got his first for us in a 2-0 win over Karlskrona.



3 is definitely the magic number as we made it a perfect 3 from 3 with an away win over Utsitkens with a late goal from center half Sarr getting our winner late.



Those 3 wins earned me the manager of the month award, hopefully the first of many.



The wins didn’t continue though as we went down 2-1 away to Norrby, before recording back to back wins over Husqvarna & Vinnbergs.







A final 3-1 win in May over Oskarshamms sees us finish my second month in charge in 2nd place with 6 wins from 7.







June saw us pick up 3 wins over Linkoping, Mjallby and Tvakkers, which were preceded by a draw with Lindome and a loss to Gauthoid.



We’re still top of the league with 28 points coming up to the half way stage of the new season.



Rounding this (short) update was the World Cup, which was won by Belgium after beating Portugal 3-2.





The talking point is definitely England not making it out of the group stage, whereas DR Congo and maybe surprisingly Costa Rica and Slovakia both making it out of their groups.

Next update will be the final 3 months of the season, as the Swedish league goes April – September and plays 26 games. 13 of which we've played so far.

Thanks for reading.

Important wins in that spell over Tvååkers and Linköping City there! Keep it up!

Hell of a performance by the Oddevold boys! Looking good so far, just need to keep it going. Like @r96Skinner said, big wins against Linköping City and Tvååkers!

Always good to beat the teams around us. We push on

Cheers man, nice final push toward the end of the season.