Career Five continents challenge S5 🇮🇹🇦🇺🇺🇸🇿🇦🇦🇷

[Sasha2]

Five Continents

 

Here is my first ever career published🎉. I've been looking at any possible way to make it fun this year. There are some improvements, disappointed by some (lack of) changes, so convinced myself to get the best of this year’s new features: loading FIVE leagues at once! (And to be honest, I can't snub this year's edition as it was a long-time wish!) 

South America has Argentina🇦🇷 to offer.

Africa has South Africa🇿🇦.

Asia has Australia🇦🇺 and China🇨🇳. Due to smaller database, I pick Australia. 

North America has Mexico🇲🇽, Canada🇨🇦 and USA🇺🇸. Due to smaller and more international database, I pick USA.

Europe has...plenty of choice. For a more comprehensive database, you should pick any nation in the British Isles🇬🇧. However, I support Cagliari, so let it be Italy🇮🇹 (hu-uh, surprise). 

The goal

One could be very ambitious, and even set a scale to reward more achievements. For my first ever attempt, winning national titles and continental titles over the five countries and continents will be enough to please me🇺🇳. In the last few editions I never got past eight-ten seasons, I expect this challenge to go on for at least fiveteen seasons.

Two extras: I like to manage national teams, and to fill my clubs with national/homegrown players. Cherry on the cake would be to lead a national team into international glory with at least 11 own club's players🎁.

Initial settings

No badges, unknown trainer, 0 initial budget, lower to mid-table club (under 50M salaries) and obviously no cheats or unlockeds at start. Empty pockets, no fame at all.

Sardinia, here we go!

Edited November 21, 2021 by Sasha2

[Sasha2]

Here are the five nations. South Africa makes me very curious! And Argentina is always special, when you're from Italy. Our overseas cousins! 

No cheats, no unlockables at start, 0 initial money.

May I present you this young unknown guy, Roberto Baggio? He never managed any team, so let's pretend he has no fame at all...

And here are the Sardinians! Currently on serie A's last spot. Our president is a misery, sigh 😢

 

First moves (tactics, free signings, training, exploring the database...) require half a day, so I hope to be back this night. See you later!

Edited November 11, 2021 by Sasha2

[Rich]

Good luck to you, looking forward to seeing how you get on 😁

[Sasha2]

First season: Cagliari finishes 7th🥳

Continent: Europe Nation: Italy Titles: none

Started with some free transfers. Mostly youngsters, to build a solid reserve team. Mostly useless, but hey, costs less than 1 million €! Their wages will be easily paid when I sell one of them💵💵💵. 

Also signed some decent players. Christian Maggio is a former glory from 2006 (Remember, Italy's 4th world champion title!🏆). Giuseppe Rossi never recovered from his injuries, interrupting his ascent at 25. Alessio Cerci also gathered international recognition, but lost himself, without injuries, well before his thirties. Lorenzo Ariaudo was a decent international young player with Cagliari; however he never blossomed. Signing him is mostly a romantic move, but also an effective backup when Godin and Caceres are injured or tired (= half a season...)

3-4-1-2 is my favorite tactic. Worked very well until january (was 4th!), then the whole team froze during winter. Hey, it never snows in Cagliari, but 22's cold spell was to be remembered: snowy and humiliating nights against Milan, Inter and Roma! For sure, weather is to blame. 

At one point the president was about to sack me: he got so over-confident, wanted me to grab a top-4 spot for Cagliari! Remember, IRL Cagliari is 20th out of 20...

Winter transfers brought me some cash, and a promising substitute for Godin: Matteo Gabbia. (28M for Walukiewicz, needless to say I was delighted!💸💸💸). Also loaned in Calafiore from Roma. I may think of him next summer, if price stays reasonable.

😅7th place came as a surprise on the very last day, at Roma's expense. Goals: 46 against, 48 for: my forwards weren't prolific. After a 0-6 home loss against Inter I changed the mood from "attacking" to "balanced". Short victories, worth three points nonetheless.

I feel guilty. Kicking Mourinho out of european cups even led him to retire.

First season brought Conference League's qualification.

Either national or continental trophy seem out of reach in the foreseable future. I need a striker. This thought will be the last before falling asleep. New chapter tomorrow! 🌙

Edited November 12, 2021 by Sasha2

[wtvching]

Hey @Sasha2, good on you! It's an interesting challenge. I am doing the same but on huge clubs and Europe only. So, I wonder how are you going to apply the job after Italy? The club you want might not be available, isn't it? Or you just randomly apply for a job there in your next destination? 

[Jmc]

Good start. If you can win the conference league it's a great step.

 

Doing the same with Argentina Canada South Korea South Africa and England. Started unemployed and am currently challenging for title in S. Africa 2nd div

 

Good luck

[Rich]

Great start mate, good luck for next season 😁

[Sasha2]

Season 2: Cagliari enters the top 4

Summary: 4th place in serie A 🇮🇹 2 round in Conference League 🇪🇺 

Titles: Italy ❌ Europe ❌ South Africa ❌ Africa ❌ Asia ❌ Australia ❌ N.America ❌ USA ❌ Argentina ❌ South America ❌

Transfers: sold about 40 players, loaned and bought a dozen young talents: Esposito, Calafiore, Lucca, Cangiano, Ruggeri, ...

Strikers: last season João Pedro-Pavoletti only brought me 28 goals😭. If Cagliari wants to grow, I need to find a better pair. Time to sell. Remember all the "useless youngsters"? Spent 1.2m in salaries, sold them for around 10m 💵💵💵. 

To keep wages low, let's loan some promising players (buy option: activated). Will Esposito bring me glory? 

Oh, I always respect old good players. Offered Diego Godin to be my assistant. The only non-Sardinian staff.

Spain won the world cup against Mexico. If Mexico wants me, I'd be pleased to avenge them anytime. 🌮🌮🌮

Had a bad spell mid-season (remember winter...?). I think it has to do with fitness rather than with tactics (or with snow in Sardinia). Anyway tweaked some settings and results improved, thus only against same- or lower-level teams.

Lucca (bought in january), Esposito and free agent Zaza found the net 41 times⚽️⚽️⚽️. For now Juventus and Inter seem unreachable. Hope the youngsters will grow enough: I have nobody left to sell, and only 40m wages capability.

Positive note: I am well rated as a trainer. 

Even earned the trainer award! Finishing 4th, it's generous.🧐 Hope it will build my reputation, very much needed when leaving old lovely Europe in a few years.

Negative note: Jorginho missed a decisive penalty against Switzerland yesterday. Doesn't affect the game, but I still recall the trauma when Italy failed to qualify back in 2017. Hope Northern Ireland won't play game of their lives monday at Windsor Park🤞.

Edited November 13, 2021 by Sasha2

[Rich]

Great season mate and some awesome youngsters coming in, I’m sure next season will be great 👏🏻

[Sasha2]

46 minutes ago, Rich said:

Great season mate and some awesome youngsters coming in, I’m sure next season will be great 👏🏻

Thank you! Quite enjoying this year's edition, not many bugs to complain about.

[broodje kip]

Great season mate. Aiming for the title next year.

[Sasha2]

Almost there! Cagliari falls one point short to the title😩

Summary: 2d place in serie A, defeated in round of 16 in ECL.

This season saw a huge improvement. Young players -Calafiori, Lovato, Gabbia, Rovella, Carboni, Zappa, Cangiano, Esposito, Lucca, Tutino, are starting to mature. 5th attack, 2d defence: overall stats begin to look alike big clubs.

I was even hoping for a comfortable win as by the 17th of February Cagliari was still unbeaten. However, a severe drop in team motivation led to a dangerous backward path, regressing to a disappointing 4th place with six matches to play. Striker Lorenzo Lucca took his responsibilities, and scored all what was needed to finish one point behind Juventus, back to their former glory.

European campaign was surprisingly good for a first attempt in champion’s league: group stage with Man City, Sevilla and Zenith didn’t scare the youngsters, thrashing Sevilla both in Sardinia and in Spain. Lokomotiv Moscow stopped the insulars, hope the lesson is learned. A bit more malignity could help next year, we have to dream big!

Here is the final table 

Here is the horrendous spell 😰4 defeats and 5 draws in nine matches! 

Side note: retired players seem to be offered coaching positions quite easily

 

Midfield has been my main weakness. I’ve sold key players (Marin, Nandez, Rog), and their substitutes Pagano and Zeroli don’t seem to grow quickly enough. Plan B: let’s buy established midfielders. Oh, and for the money, I did it again: signed 40 free agents, loaned them, and now waiting for good offers to come... 📈💰

Side note n2: 4 Cagliari players represented Italy at Euro 2024. So proud! Last ones were Barella, just before being sold to Inter Milan, and Alessio Cragno (doesn’t seem as strong in FMM22 as he is on the pitch, unfortunately).

It’s 11pm: now diving into season 4! Very confident I can bring home some trophies. And explore a new continent quite soon… will it be the Antipodes, Australia? My reputation is still only regional, Asia or Africa may be more reasonable than the Americas. Perth Glory would be nice. Who knows? 

Free transfers: who needs to buy expensive players when there are plenty good ones waiting your call?

Edited November 14, 2021 by Sasha2

[Sasha2]

4th season: hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!🇮🇹🇮🇹🇮🇹
 

First trophy out of ten needed to accomplish this challenge: Cagliari won serie A for the second time after their 1970’ title. European competitions seem again out of reach for now, Bayern Münich won both home and away. Quarter Finals is still a promising achievement, thus. 
I begin to realize I won’t finish the challenge in fifteen seasons, contrary to my initial prediction… EA Sports, are you planning and update to remove the 30-seasons limit 😁

Season saw the Sardinians play without serious opponents, thanks to an excellent back line.

Manager reputation: one up, national should be enough to get some international management.

 

[broodje kip]

Congrats on the league title mate. KIU

[Rich]

Well done on winning the title mate, great stuff 👍

[Sasha2]

Season 5: a few inches over the bar

Serie A: 3d place 🥉

Champion’s League: 2d place 🥈

World Cup: 3d place 🥉

This was a marvellous season, competing in every worthy competition, holding breathe until the very last second of the matches. After last year’s win in Serie A, I was very much hoping in another win, would it be in Italy or in Europe.

Instead, the Sardinians went home with a huge fame, great recognition from pairs, but not a single trophy. Like Hungarians in the 50s, Dutchmen in the 70s, Arsenal under Wenger, or Schalke04: fans will remember, but hall of fame will not. Look yourself.

🇮🇹Serie A. Strikers went dry.

Champion’s League final against Chelsea. Drama, drama, and more drama. 1-0 Lucca (Cag), 1-1 Mount (Che), 2-1 Pedro Neto (Che), 2-2 Pessina (Cag), 2-3 Raspadori (Cag), last minute equalizer Pedro Neto (Che). Extra-time was tense as a war-steed girth (reading Bartleby to improve my language skills). Oh my oh my, I could barely look at my device. Since Roberto Baggio missing against Brazil back in 1994, it’s always been painful. 

 

If you read this post carefully, you noticed a bronze medal in the World Cup ‘26, co-hosted by Mexico, USA and Canada. Oddly enough, I reached this fantastic result with an all-defensive tactic (even less appealing than with my serie A team). Yes, it’s Canada😳😂.

 


 

Greece and Perù in the group stage, then all the way through Colombia, Austria, the Netherlands, loss against Uruguay (title was theirs), and bronze against Tunisia. 


 

Canada has a very small amount of decent players. But if season 6 brings me European glory, I could decide myself for a Canadian team to manage in MLS. Montreal would be great! 
Thanks for reading, now diving into a new season…

Edited November 21, 2021 by Sasha2

[Joseph#PNE]

Could u please show your tactics for canada and cagliari in english please

[Sasha2]

1 hour ago, Joseph#PNE said:

Could u please show your tactics for canada and cagliari in english please

This is Canada

 

 

I’ve tested many features, because of the scarce range of good players, fits well with Samuel Piette as BWM because he has good technique and tackling; DLP MUST be good at passing, BPD too. I only change the creative freedom depending on the opponent; the strongest, the more disciplined.

[Sasha2]

And for Cagliari. You will need at least one forward with good aerial skills. 
 

Feel free to fine tune it. Not very exciting (low amount of goals scored), but effective.
 

I’ve tried the special tactics for prolific strikers you read about on other threads, but with no success at all🤷🏻‍♂️.
 

 

[Joseph#PNE]

Thanks man much appreciated

[Mehmood6647]

Hey bro, it's been 10 days since you last posted an update. Was just wondering if everything's ok for you, stay safe man.

[DIRECTFX]

No C.Larin, A.Akinoyla, T.Buchanan, Mark Anthony Kaye, I.Ugbo, or S.Eustaquio for Canada ? They are some of the top young talent for the country