Career Danovic goes Latin...Cha Cha Cha! COMPLETE

[danovic78]

I am back with a few short updates (hopefully) as I take on one of the classic goal-scoring challenges.

The Latin Europe Challenge

Simple enough challenge, four countries with four goal scoring totals to beat but it is anything but simple as the goal totals get bigger and bigger.

Stage 1: Italy - Target 39 Goals

So I went for obvious choice here to start the ball rolling and turned to the old lady, Juventus. It would have been again obvious to pick CR7 but with Target Men so dominant in this version of the game I entrusted the first total to the Man himself - Mario Mandžukić.

Season 1: Juventus
Overall it was a good season as we took the title and also the Champions League with the very last kick of the games against the Kopites.
Mandžukić himself eased past the target and grabbed 52 goals to set the ball rolling.

Season 2: Juventus
So with no real decent job offers, I carried on with Juventus until January when the opening arrived for me to head to France.

After taking over Lyon in 8th place we rallied well to finish second, a mile behind PSG but securing Champions League football was vital for those extra games. Depay being top scorer despite not playing upfront.

Season 3: Lyon
Looking at my striking options I decided to trust in youth for Stage 2 and went with Amine Gouiri as I knew he would improve greatly but wasn't sure if he could hit 51 goals this season as my squad wasn't quite set up as I would like it. 

Wow what a finish, Gouiri hitting his 51st goal in the very last game of the season against Nice. The team did ok but again finished miles behind PSG in the league and some average cup runs.

CHALLENGE TARGET

Stage 1: Mario Mandžukić - 52 Goals ✔️
Stage 2: Amine Gouiri - 51 Goals ✔️
Stage 3:
Stage 4:

TOTAL - 103 Goals

Edited May 30, 2019 by danovic78

[smoggy90]

Like this challenge mate and excellent start!

[Gunners Rishi]

Great start

[Rob]

Love this challenge. Good luck for the final two.

[danovic78]

16 hours ago, smoggy90 said:

Like this challenge mate and excellent start!

Thanks, its a good challenge and really does test your managerial skills.

13 hours ago, Gunners Rishi said:

Great start

Yeah, I have to be happy with that start.

1 hour ago, Rob said:

Love this challenge. Good luck for the final two.

Cheers, gonna be tougher to hit those final two targets.

[danovic78]

Onto the next update here. With Italy and France completed, I was on the lookout for a job in Portugal.

Season 4: Braga
Pre season was kind to me and I got an offer which I felt provide a good challenge. None of the big three in Portugal but Braga offered me a route to North Portugal and off I went.

This time my chosen striker was much experienced and again I went with the Target Man approach, Ahmed Hassan

Tremendous first season as Hassan proved lethal up top and grabbed the 58 goals we needed.
Very surprised I was able to do this first time with such a limited budget and squad. The benefits of a weak league I guess.

Season 5: Braga

With 3 stages complete it was just left to head to Spain to look for that tough challenge of 80 goals to finish off. No real jobs presented themselves pre season so I stuck with Braga but just before Christmas I got the offer I was looking for. Again not one of the top three but still a big club, Sevilla

We started in 8th and found it very tough with an unbalanced squad but clawed our way up to finish 4th. With Traore finishing our top scorer with just 15 goals, you can see we needed some firepower injection.

Season 6: Sevilla

Desperately in need of a striker I decided to back a local lad and sign Jon Bautista to help hit the target but the season was a real struggle all round. Only finished 5th and Bautista managed just 39 goals. Tweaking my tactics will be needed here as we are a long way behind our target of 80 goals.

So we were miles behind our target of 80 goals. I think I will need to revise my tactic and strategy here. Stay tuned to see if I can manage it.

CHALLENGE TARGET

Stage 1: Mario Mandžukić - 52 Goals ✔️
Stage 2: Amine Gouiri - 51 Goals ✔️
Stage 3: Ahmed Hassan - 58 Goals ✔️
Stage 4:

TOTAL - 161 Goals

[FuddledFox]

I really enjoyed reading those first 2 updates and this looks a really fun challenge. I also like the fact that you have took some riskier jobs as well instead of waiting for the big names to come knocking.

Good luck with the final leg.

[danovic78]

2 minutes ago, Foxy said:

I really enjoyed reading those first 2 updates and this looks a really fun challenge. I also like the fact that you have took some riskier jobs as well instead of waiting for the big names to come knocking.

Good luck with the final leg.

Cheers Foxy, sometimes it better to take the gamble otherwise you can be waiting a long time for right job!

[Ian]

Nice little challenge this and you’ve sailed through the first three targets. 

Hopefully you can improve the squad to help you get the 80 in Spain to complete the challenge.

[danovic78]

9 minutes ago, 1759 said:

Nice little challenge this and you’ve sailed through the first three targets. 

Hopefully you can improve the squad to help you get the 80 in Spain to complete the challenge.

Yeah, this is defiantly going to be tough one. Need to build the squad around my striker. Still not sure I have the right tactic yet.

[Kanegan]

Well done on the first three stages. Hopefully, it doesn't take long to complete the final stage.

[danovic78]

2 hours ago, Kanegan said:

Well done on the first three stages. Hopefully, it doesn't take long to complete the final stage.

Thanks. Yes, me too but I will need to add to the squad big time to challenge Barca and Real here plus hit 80+ goals.

[Cockers2505]

Well done @danovic78 good start, you will have to make up a really good team that likes to pass rather than shoot as your man needs to be given every opertunity to get that many goals, and then you have the other problem of finding someone (Real Player) who can fulfil that task, Dybala, Rashford maybe, good luck

[danovic78]

13 minutes ago, Cockers2505 said:

Well done @danovic78 good start, you will have to make up a really good team that likes to pass rather than shoot as your man needs to be given every opertunity to get that many goals, and then you have the other problem of finding someone (Real Player) who can fulfil that task, Dybala, Rashford maybe, good luck

Yeah, its just making score those chances fall to my striker and no-one else.

As I am on the OME, he does get plenty but sticking them away is another matter indeed.

Lots of high teamwork from the players and the right final third options I think is the way forward.

[danovic78]

Onto Part two of my quest to hit 80 goals in La Liga and complete the challenge...

Season 7: Sevilla

So need badly needed reinforcements all over the squad and we managed to pick up Marcus Rashford and Dele Alli on free transfers so I was delighted with those two. Rashford came so close but a one month layoff at the end of March put paid to the 80 goal mark and he finished on a decent 67. Still a mile behind Real in the league who posted 100 plus points to win the title. Won the Spanish Cup although it looks like I didnt! 😕

Season 8: Sevilla

Feeling that a lack of Ariel ability was costing more goals I decided to give another striker a go and signed Michael Kouame who was more of a pacey target man. Again, injury curtailed this attempt and he only managed 59 goals. Another third placed finish as this time Barca ran away with the league. Added the Super Cup though.

Season 9: Sevilla

Another new striker, just stock piling them now!!!
Both Rashford and Kouame had more injury woes and Alexander Isak wanted from Chelsea out so I signed him for a snip in January and he finished top scorer with 33. I was looking ahead to try for those 80 goals in season 10. Good season for the team as we took the title from the big two.

So still looking for that striker who can give me those 80 goals.

Lots of tactic tweaking but I think I have the right balance now so hopefully it will happen sooner rather than later

CHALLENGE TARGET

Stage 1: Mario Mandžukić - 52 Goals ✔️
Stage 2: Amine Gouiri - 51 Goals ✔️
Stage 3: Ahmed Hassan - 58 Goals ✔️
Stage 4:

TOTAL - 103 Goals

Edited May 28, 2019 by danovic78

[Ian]

Seems like you aren’t far away from getting the 80 goals. Just need things to click with the right guy up top.

[danovic78]

9 hours ago, 1759 said:

Seems like you aren’t far away from getting the 80 goals. Just need things to click with the right guy up top.

Yeah, we are getting close. Injuries have played a part. You cant really afford any layoffs during the season.

[Rob]

Keep it up fella. Bet this is frustrating though! 

[danovic78]

2 hours ago, Rob said:

Keep it up fella. Bet this is frustrating though! 

Yeah, but its all good tactic building and see how many small things can effect my results.

[danovic78]

So here is my final update...

Season 10: Sevilla

So with Alexander Isak having a full season I was hoping that he would manage it but again we fell just short. He managed 68 goals, 12 goals short. So close but yet so far. For the team we retained our league title but lost the Champs League on pens against Barca.

Season 11: Sevilla

I promised that this was defiantly the season that Alexander Isak hits the 80 goal mark....second game...Whack! 🤕 Out for two months so I have to switch the plan and give Marcus Rashford a chance.

Boom!! We have done it. Rashford stepped up to the mark and hits 88 goals in a wonderful season. 

Delighted to complete this challenge as I was slowly losing interest. Another title and Super Cup to finish off the challenge.

Delighted to have nailed this challenge in the end. It was beginning to be a real struggle but was fun to come up the different tactics and see which was the best option to grab those goals.

CHALLENGE TARGET

Stage 1: Mario Mandžukić - 52 Goals ✔️
Stage 2: Amine Gouiri - 51 Goals ✔️
Stage 3: Ahmed Hassan - 58 Goals ✔️
Stage 4: Marcus Rashford - 88 Goals ✔️

TOTAL - 249 Goals

@samhardy if you can add me to the leader board that would be great 👍

[Rob]

Well done! A deceptively difficult challenge this one.

[danovic78]

2 minutes ago, Rob said:

Well done! A deceptively difficult challenge this one.

Thanks, it is defiantly more tricky than it looks on the outset especially if you picked teams that need a lot of rebuilding.

[Kanegan]

Well done mate.

[danovic78]

2 minutes ago, Kanegan said:

Well done mate.

Thanks very much 👍

[Ian]

Well done, great season there from Rashford and the boys to get it done.

[danovic78]

5 minutes ago, 1759 said:

Well done, great season there from Rashford and the boys to get it done.

Yeah, the irony that he wasn't my planned striker for that season so fate took hold and Rash got us to glory! 

[FuddledFox]

Excellent final total that and I’m glad you got this over the line before the interest finally went.

[danovic78]

6 minutes ago, Foxy said:

Excellent final total that and I’m glad you got this over the line before the interest finally went.

Cheers Foxy, yes it was getting to that point where I was looking for another career but being close in the previous seasons I knew that we could manage it.

[Gunners Rishi]

Well done! It must have taken some character to have kept on persisting and Marcus did u proud 

[danovic78]

48 minutes ago, Gunners Rishi said:

Well done! It must have taken some character to have kept on persisting and Marcus did u proud 

Yeah, it was still an enjoyable career but injuries were really getting me down a bit but luckily all things came good in the end.