The Alphabet Challenge! A SamwelldoneFM tale

So, It begins. The Alphabet challenge, probably the most vigorous challenge i've seen to date.

If you don't know what it is, search 'Alphabet Challenge' in the bar at the top to go to Mr JK's thread on it.

A

There are many nations i could choose from, however i went for one that in any other sort of game scenario i would stray away from, AMERICAN SAMOA.

Season 2014/15:

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Success at the first! Lets try and replicate this is my next chosen Nation, ALGERIA.

which team will i be.... stay tuned! Please let me know other ways i could improve this and what you would want to see from each Nation.

Season 2

After choosing Algeria as my next nation, I had to pick a team.

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I went for USM Alger, A team who won the first League 1 in 1963 and have amassed a total of 5 league titles. With next to nothing wage and transfer budget wise i had to offload a few of the teams star players, even to rival team in the same division.

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My will to win was drummed into my side, who in the end romped home with the League 1 title 9 point clear of bitter rivals MC Alger.

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I think the only annoying thing about this season is the Nations continental competition runs from February until December, and because i have more pressing issues (moving on to the next nation), i’m going to have to cut short my shot at the African Confederation Cup.

Really enjoying this so far, just waiting for the stumbling block club that takes a few seasons out of me!

Season 3

After resigning from USM Alger to pursue my journey, I took the job at San Lorenzo, a club who last season won the division.


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A mass exodus began as i looked to cement back to back titles for San Lorenzo, and to move me further to my goal.

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Not a good start….

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This was going to be more difficult than i had imagined…

I tried chopping and changing the line up and flicking between tactics, but to no avail.

This run of bad results effectively ruined my tenure

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Losing a derby in Argentina is unforgivable..


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The eventual outcome led me being forced to resign after a heated exchange of words with the board

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I’m not letting this get me down, i will still manage in Argentina but with a different team.

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Lanus! a team with lots of promise, who's league position is unjustified

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Lets see how this goes! stay tuned!

Season 3 Part 2 - Lanus!

Lanus have given me a chance to have another crack at the league this season. Upon taking over, Lanus were 13th.

it looked like i’ve settled in straight away, winning my first 2 games, with this one being a highlight for the fans

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I wonder who is going to take the San Lorenzo job….?

Some nobody in the football world most likely…….


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Oh……

Moving on towards the end of the season and match day 36, an away tie against my old club and title challengers San Lorenzo.

It’s safe to say i wanted to win this game so bad due to falling out with the board and being forced to resign.

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I’m so happy, Fernando Cavenaghi rolling back the years and bagging a hattrick!

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Are the San Lorenzo board regretting forcing me out? of course they are!


After winning the penultimate game of the season, the table looked like this:

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As you can see from the table, Newell’s Old Boys have a game in hand, this is due to them getting to the Cup final, so bizarely, their game will be played after match day 38.

Here is what happened on Matchday 38:

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I’m enjoying life apparently, I’m not, the league is nail bitingly close!


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Wow! What a way to make a statement to Newell’s, winning 8-2 away from home!

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So with these results, Newell’s were 1 point behind me. It all goes down to their game against Quilmes.


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AND WITH THAT RESULT WE WON THE LEAGUE!

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What a journey! Here is the final League standings, along with my team roundup:

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So, that’s Argentina Chalked off, which ‘A’ am i going to be next?

Season 4 - 2017/18

Upon my win in South America i thought I had better come back to the home continent, Europe.

With this i had two A nations, Austria and Andorra.

I went for Austria and i set myself a challenge of not being Red Bull Salzburg, i fancied a real test.

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What a better test than being hired by SK Rapid Wien, a club with a glorious history. They have won the Austrian Premier Division a record 32 times! However their last league title came in 2008, with Red Bull Salzburg winning 7 out of the last 9, including 4 on the bounce. Looks like i’ve got myself a challenge this season then!

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After 5 games of the season i was unbeaten, however not quite the unbeaten that i would want to be if I'm challenging for the league:

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A change of tactic was urgently needed.

Former tactic:

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New tactic:

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will this new tactic work? let’s find out

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Moving into march and my tactic seems to be pulling off quite well.

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The big derby, and at this pivotal point of the season, a win would inch me closer to pulling away with the league, a loss and it allows Sturm Graz to close the gap.

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This guy had been performing well and deserved his place, my first Regen!

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We win the derby! due to our form this season we were favourites, however a derby win is always sweet! that makes it 7 games without conceding a goal, which is something i’ve never done before, credit my defence and goalkeepers.

mid-way through march and we come up against our fierce rivals Red Bull, a team i want to knock off of the Austrian League pedestal.

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And now, an Austrian FA Cup semi final tie against fierce rivals Red Bull Salzburg.

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A competition dominated in recent years by Red Bull

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We beat them on penalties! a boring game however a 5-4 win on pens secured my place in the FA Cup Final!


Moving onto the League decider - A matchup against 2nd place fierce rivals Sturm Graz. a win against these will secure me the League, and a place in Rapid Wien history.


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probably my most important match to date in this challenge.


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We dominated our rivals and won the league! A proud moment:

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What a great challenge this is turning out to be, 4 seasons and 4 league titles. this means that Rapid qualify for the Champions League next season!

following our title win, a chance came to rest key players, and also play the unsettled first team regular wannabes , along with a couple of youth prospects.

I decided to give this guy his first team debut:

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A game we should’ve won, and with a first 11 we probably would’ve. however a good performance from what i call my ‘fringe 11’.

Interesting… I’m 100/1to get sacked…. after winning Rapid first title in 10 years…

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Moving on to the Austrian Cup Final, Rapid Wien v Sturm Graz.


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Fantastic! my first ever cup competition!


Here’s the last game of the season:

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And here is the league standing for the Austrian Premier Division:

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I’ve done the double! and can move on to my next country.

Awards time:

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We cleared up! fantastic success. Here are the end of season stats:

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Season 5 - 2018/19


After choosing Australia as my next nation, I had to look for a job.

Bearing in mind i resigned from Rapid in late may, i went a long long time before there were any jobs available. this team took a punt on me:

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One of the top teams in Australia found themselves in the lower reaches of the league, and with a top half finish agreed with the board, i cracked on.

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Not only did i win my first game and rise a place, we beat one of Manchester City’s project Melbourne City. Let’s hope it continues.


Please note: Australia have a strict salary cap system, in which you’re allowed two ‘Marquee’ signings, players who can have a wage higher than the average. You’re allowed one foreign and one Australian Marquee signing in your team. Also the Salary cap is usually very low, mine being just over £26,000. It was going to be tough getting players in.

Anyway, another year, another…….

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Fantastic! A title four Melbourne Victory! their first in 10 years! This seems to becoming a bit of a trend..

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It’s not over just yet! Hyundai A-League finals time!


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Here’s the result:



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Now onto the final!


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So, winning this gives me 2 league titles…..

So in 5 seasons i’ve won 6 League titles!



Season Stats:

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So, Australia done! Now there are only two nations left, The mighty giant nations of Andorra and Afghanistan!

Season 6 - 2019/20

So i move on, and onto Andorra, a sleeping giant of european football…..

I’m approached by FC Santa Coloma, a team who have a rich history in Andorra and who missed out on the league last season.

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I’m appointed and a rival manager is already trying to one up me on the mind games…


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Cup Final Win:

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It all came down to the last game of the season, after a poor run from us all we needed was to draw with Lusitans, who are level on points with us. If they win then they win the league.

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We won the league and done the double!

End of season Stats:

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Now i move on to the last of my ‘A’ Nations, Afghanistan. (Albania wouldn’t load)

Season 7 - 2020/21

So, moving on to Afghanistan, and the only job available was Simorgh, a team who have dominated the Afghan league however are suffering a draught in recent years.

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75% of the season was tight, but in the end we ran away with the league:

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This guy was my hero this season, and at that age, he may be worth keeping an eye on

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End of season stats:

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So, that’s ‘A’ finished! now moving on to ‘B’ and here is a list of the nations:

Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bosnia, Brazil and Bulgaria.

4 european nations look promising!

Season 8 - 2021/22

I chose to manage in Belize.

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We done it!

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