FM14 - Susie On Tour #4: Fenerbahçe S.K.

Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü are one the oldest and most successful sides in Turkey, and they will be your club to manage for this scintillating fourth stage of the tour. In a tough period somewhat are Fener, one of your first jobs will need you to look at the staff both on and off the field. The training facilities and the youth system produce the odd gem and you will work with some money to help you dominate your rivals and continue to qualify for European football. Despite this you are in somewhat of a pickle. Problems from previous seasons has meant a ban for Fener in Europe and a no qualification period in the first year of qualifying meaning precious European money is at a premium. You are one of the biggest clubs not just in Turkey but fairly well known in Europe itself. A side that possesses some Turkish and foreign starts but an ageing squad. Do you have what it takes to keep up the domestic expectations expected of the Sarı Kanaryalar? Can you give this big club another period of celebration?

Fenerbahçe S.K.

Founded in 1907 by a group of local men, they are one of the most successful and best supported football teams in Turkey, having never been relegated to lower divisions, and currently compete in Süper Lig, Turkish Cup and UEFA Champions League. Fenerbahçe have won a total of 28 Turkish national championships including 19 Süper Lig trophies, in addition to 6 Turkish Cup, 8 Turkish Super Cup, 8 Chancellor Cup and 12 TSYD Cup trophies. In international club football Fenerbahçe have won one Balkans Cup trophy. In 2013 Fenerbahçe were banned from European competition for two seasons over their involvement in a domestic match-fixing scandal.

Süper Lig

The Süper Lig is the top-flight of the Turkish football league system. It is one of the top leagues in the UEFA confederation, and the winner of the competition automatically qualifies for the UEFA Champions League group stage. Eighteen clubs compete annually, where a champion is decided and three clubs are promoted and relegated to and from the 1. Lig. The season runs from August to May, with each club playing 34 matches. Matches are played Friday through Monday. It is sponsored by Spor Toto and therefore officially known as the Spor Toto Süper Lig.

CHALLENGE DYNAMICS

This challenge will last for three years, upon completing your third season in Hungary (1st July 2016), you can no longer collect points for this destination.
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You must start set your manager experience as "Automatic" and play in a new save from July 2013.

You have until 6pm BST on 8th June 2014 to submit your screenshots in this thread, and accumulate as many points as you can within the confines of a maximum of 3 seasons in the game.

You may not manage any other teams, or use other programs to aid you in this challenge

You may not use any editor or scouting software.

You must use the Official 14.3.0 database.
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HOW TO SCORE POINTS

Submit screenshots via reply within this thread of your progress.
Unclear or doctored screenshots will not be rewarded with points.

Süper Lig
Relegated: -10 points
15th-9th: 0 points
8th: 2 points
7th: 3 points
6th: 4 points
5th: 5points
4th: 8 points
3rd: 10 points
2nd: 15 points
1st: 25 points

Ziraat Türkiye Kupası
Fail to Qualify for group stages: 0 points
Group Stage Exit: 2 points
Losing Semi Finalists: 15 points
Losing Finalist: 20 points
Winner: 30 points

Champions League
Fail to Qualify for group stages: 0 points
Group Stage Exit: 2 points
Knockout Round Exit: 5 points
Losing Quarter Finalists: 10 points
Losing Semi Finalists: 15 points
Losing Finalist: 20 points
Winner: 30 points

Europa League
Group Stage Exit: 0 points
First Round Exit: 2 points
Second Round Exit: 3 points
Losing Quarter Finalists: 8 points
Losing Semi Finalists: 10 points
Losing Finalist: 15 points
Winner: 25 points
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RIVALRIES
(Competitive Fixtures Only)
Beat Galatasaray: 5 points
Beat Beşiktaş: 5 points
Beat Trabzonspor: 5 points


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POINT DEDUCTIONS
Sacked: -25 points (and the challenge is over)

An interesting challenge for our fourth leg. I have only ever managed in Turkey for a few seasons, so will be a compelling proposition.

I have also put this small table together, correct (I think) as of the end of Round 2 (until the Budapest scores are added up).



Only disparity between this and the leaderboard topic is Franck's score, but I might have made a mistake there...

Is it too late to join this? Or will you be doing another series in the future

You can join. People can join in at any stage

It started less than 12 hours ago, of course you can join. Anyone can enter at any time just post your screenshots up before the deadline (June something, it says in the first post)

Woo! Glad it is back I will be playing alot quicker from now on and I hope to get all 3 seasons finished!

Just a quick one. The scoring states that an 18th-9th placed finish scores 0 points, but relegation scores -10. The league only has 18 teams, so should probably say 15th-9th instead.

Great table BOT Brad!

Cracking table BOT Brad, I will update the league table now.

Great season very quick too!

Cheers! I play FM at a pretty quick pace, just spending about 30 minutes at the start of each season setting up training/tactics and signing players, etc. I then pretty much fly through the games at max speed, only really slowing it down for important games such as the cup semi's and final, or if we hit a losing streak and I need to rethink my tactics. Maybe not the optimal way to play the game, but definitely the way I like to do it.

Any major transfer dealings Brad?

Did you sell any of the foreign lads?

Bloody hell i'm wasting a good £130k paying wages for players that are out on loan. Wish there was a recall clause built in, there never seems to be when it's official loans.

Also really struggling to make any signings since I can't seem to sell anyone. This is a tougher challenge than it looks.

I might make a return to these, I'm sick of sitting there on -25

Smashed my first two friendlies 5-0 and 5-0. Evidently i'm alot slower than others.

Still trying to faf my way through the market, I won't give two much away but I sold a top player who didn't fit into my tactic for £4.4m and brought into a Scottish centre back. Looking for a striker now since four won't cut it if i'm playing three upfront to meet the attacking philosophy the board expect

When I played tested this run a few months back, had to say first season was tough because it was a little tough getting rid of players. When the loans came back, I did my best to sell who I didn't want to generate more funds. Without European football monies however it's a little tough but when you play the bigger teams who are involved in European football, your squad is a little fresher.

Great first season BOT Brad!

I have started similar with 15 league games without losing, I'm just waiting for the drop... I haven't signed anyone, but hopefully I can bring some cover players in January. Would like one more defender and maybe a midfielder too. I tried to sell Baroni, but could only get a loan deal for him.

I didn't sign anyone, as the transfer kitty was set at £900k and I couldn't find anyone suitable to improve the team for that low. I did let 2 players leave during the January window, one was a left-back who I sold for £4.2m, and another was a reserve player who I sold for about £1m. Also loaned out a few of the fringe players to get first-team football. I will probably revamp the squad with good Turkish talent before the 2nd season, now I have around £4m in the transfer pot, and also flog a few of the foreign lads because there are a few too many for my liking, as I can't include them all every game.



Thanks! I was down to bare-bones defensively, so I will also be shoring up the defense with a few young Turkish players to avoid bringing in yet more foreign players.

The first person I'd try and sell is Moussa Sow. Yes, he's a quality player but could easily get something for him.

If you can find a good replacement then yes, sell him. You could offload a few of them to be fair.

He got a bit antsy for me at the end of the 1st season, and he is now on-loan at Newcastle with an option to buy for £8m.

Will be starting this soon. How many years are you banned from europe for?

The first 2 seasons I believe.

Aye if you qualify in your second season, in your last then you will be eligible.

Take a look at Enes Ünal with Bursaspor, can be gotten on the cheap and can score goals in the Turkish league. I got rid of Webo in my first season, that helped with gaining some monies in.

First season

League 25 points



Top of the league from match 4.




Cup 30 points


Toughest posible draw in the group - both Besiktas and Galatasaray - gave us some extra points in the end.

Rival meetings
Galatasaray: Played: 5, won: 3 = 15 points
Besiktas: Played: 5, won: 3 = 15 points
Trabzonspor: Played: 2, won: 1 = 5 points

Total: 25+30+35=90

Nice one itchycoo, exactly the same score as me too!

I plan on getting my 2nd season finished tomorrow night. I'm currently around 12 games into the second season and sitting in 2nd place behind Besiktas.

I was thinking something to possible add to the next few challenges is an extra way if getting points which is different each round. So like the one at Melbourne had Kewell ones. So like next leg you could have points for having a full team of players from the nation you are in.

Thanks Brad. I actually missed that I had played, and beat, Galatasaray in the Super Kupa last year, som I got another 5 points!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm pretty sure Super Cup games won't count as a competitive fixture. I think that decision was made in an earlier challenge.