The Sir Alex Ferguson Challenge

[bdearaujo]

The Sir Alex Ferguson Challenge

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Welcome to my attempt in the SAF Challenge where I attempt to recreate the success that Sir Alex Ferguson has done in his Manchester United career. This story will be my journey to try to recreate what he did and hopefully to surpass him. I will be playing this story for hopefully 27 seasons, maybe more if I feel like it. The updates of this story will be monthly and separate post with transfers, Preseason, Finals, etc

The Challenges Rules are:


Sim to November 6th and takeover the club is currently second bottom (19th) – Fergie took over Manchester United on that date.


Stay at the club for 27 seasons and achieve domination


Buy on 8 players per season, which was the most he ever signed, and don't spend more 62 million (I might break this rule if the player is a must have)


Focus on Youth (Attempting the Class of 92 in FM will be difficult)

The Goals for this Challenge are:


Win the Domestic Cup within 4 seasons
Win the League title within 7 seasons
Win the League and Cup Double within 7 seasons
Win the Treble within 13 seasons
Win more titles than Fergie


My next post will be the head-to-head comparison with Fergie and myself.

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[bdearaujo]

Head-to-Head and Achievements

Goal	Me	Sir Alex Ferguson
November 6th		Manchester United, 1986
Win Domestic Cup in 4 seasons		1990 FA Cup against Crystal Palace
Win League Title within 7 seasons		1992-93
Win Double within 7 seasons		1993-94 (Premier League and FA Cup)
Win Treble within 13 seasons		1998-99 (English Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League)
English Premier League		13- 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2012-13
FA Cup		5- 1989-90, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1998-99, 2003-04
League Cup		4- 1991-92, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10
Community Shield		10- 1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011
UEFA Champions League		2- 1998-99, 2007-08
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup/ Europa League		1- 1990-91
UEFA Super Cup		1- 1991
FIFA Club World Cup		2- 1999, 2008

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[bdearaujo]

November 6th, 2017

I went on holiday until this date, the same date as Fergie went he took over Manchester United. For me, club that I will manage:

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Watford Football Club is a professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, that plays in the Premier League, the highest level in the English football league system. Founded in 1881 as Watford Rovers, the club entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade later. After finishing the 1914–15 season as Southern League champions under the management of Harry Kent, Watford joined the Football League in 1920. The club played at several grounds in its early history, before moving to a permanent location at Vicarage Road in 1922, where it remains. Watford spent most of the following half century in the lower divisions of The Football League, changing colours and crest on multiple occasions.

England manager Graham Taylor's tenure at the club saw Watford scale new heights. Between Taylor's appointment in 1977 and departure in 1987, Watford rose from the Fourth Division to the First Division. The team finished second in the First Division in the 1982–83 season, competed in the UEFA Cup in 1983–84, and also reached the 1984 FA Cup Final. Watford experienced a decade of decline between 1987 and 1997, before Taylor returned as full-time manager, leading the team to successive promotions from the renamed Second Division to the Premier League for one season in 1999–2000. The club experienced a further one season stint in the top division of English football during the 2006–07 season, under Aidy Boothroyd's management; eight years in the Championship followed. Watford secured promotion in 2014–15, and have remained in the Premier League since the 2015–16 season.

Watford is currently owned by the Pozzo family, which also owns Udinese Calcio in Italy and previously Granada CF in Spain. Sir Elton John, who owned Watford during both of Graham Taylor's successful periods as manager, served alongside Taylor as the club's joint Honorary Life President until 2008, only to later resume the role which he shared alongside Graham Taylor until Taylor's death.

Watford Title History

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They finished runner-up once in the First Divison in 1982/83 season, runner-up in FA Cup in 1983/84, runner-up twice in the Second Division; 1981/82 as Second Division and 2014/15 as Championship), two winner in the Third Division in 1968/69 and 1997/98 seasons, won the Fourth Division in 1978/79 season and won the Southern League title in 1914/15 season.

Players

First Team
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Under 23s
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Under 18s
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The team in general is good to survive relegation and at least finish mid table. Watford does have a bright future with their young players including Richarlison, Will Hughes, and Nathaniel Chalobah in the first team and many promising players such as Issac Success, Williams Velasquez, Juan Hernandez, Adalberto Penaranda, and many more.

Some of the area I will try to fix is the Goalkeeping area where I found that Gomes and Karnezis are under performing, the Fullbacks position, especially the LB is lacking depth, and adding a bit more depth in the AMC area.

The Formations

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These 3 formation will the on I will mostly used with the 4-2-3-1 being the primary one but also be trying the 5-2-1-2 at times.

The goal of this season to try to survive relegation and to try to add a couple for depth player in the Winter transfer window by either buying or loan.

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[bdearaujo]

This here is what I forgot to post in my previous update.

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Watford Season before Joining

This season is comparable to their last season when they finished in 17th place, just above the relegation zone. This season, they see themselves in 19th place just one point from safety.

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Watford started their 2017/18 preseason with a loss to AFC Wimbledon from League One in a 0-2 loss in the FM Cup. After a good preseason where they won every game including against AZ Alkmaar from the Netherlands, they started their league campaign with two losses against Leicester City and West Ham United before winning their first game against Everton at home. Then they went 7 games without a win before winning their final game against West Brom. They were also eliminated by Championship side Birmingham City in the Second Round of the League Cup.

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My First game in charge will be a difficult one as we will face Chelsea at home. Liverpool at Anfield right after Chelsea then we will end the month with Stoke City.

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[BallyC7]

Wow that is a tough start for you! Good luck mate!

 

[bdearaujo]

Trouble at Watford already

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I haven't even play my first game against Chelsea and I already have player fighting with me because of no playing time. Prodi, Zeegelaar, and Kabasele (twice) have already fought with me.

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The good thing that Prodi has apologize to me and is happy to stay at the club. At least I know that Kabasele will be out soon as I had enough with the fights. Don't care if he is one of our best defenders.​

 

[shaungt]

I'm attempting the SAF challenge with Everton! Good luck! I'll definitely be keeping an eye out on your thread!