List of 10 teams with whom your challenge is to end a long title winning drought on FM22. Challenging teams to manage on Football Manager 2022.
List of 10 teams with whom your challenge is to end a long title winning
drought on FM22.
All these ten clubs below are former champions, yet have gone 25 years or longer since their last championship win and are therefore enduring long droughts. Can you be the FM player to restore these following clubs back to the top and claim another league title?
Ipswich Town FC
Ipswich came close on two other occasions to becoming a multiple champion of English football in both the 1980/81 and 1981/82 campaigns. In both these seasons, Ipswich finished 2nd place, four points off eventual champions Aston Villa and Liverpool respectively. This was achieved under another famous managerial name in the shape of Sir Bobby Robson. In addition to these runner-up finishes, Robson also helped Ipswich win an FA Cup in 1977/78 and a UEFA Cup/Europa League in 1980/81.
Ipswich currently sit in EFL League One, English football’s third tier and haven’t been in the Premier League since the 2001/02 campaign. However, a recent takeover of The Tractor Boys by Gamechanger 20, an Ohio-based investment group and subsequent heavy investment into the playing squad for the new season mean Ipswich are one of the favourites for promotion to the Championship. Can that be the first step on a road back to greatness under your management?
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Preston North End FC
The Lilywhites instantly became the dominant force in the Football League upon its foundation. In the first ever league season in England, Preston won both the league and FA Cup double and did so by virtue of an unbeaten season. In the 22 games of that inaugural league season, Preston won 18 and drew 4, scoring 74 goals in the process, being nicknamed “The Invincibles”. Remarkably, the Lancashire club retained their title the following season in the 1889/90 campaign, though suffered four defeats along the way this time.
Currently Preston lie in the second-tier EFL Championship, a league and level that they have occupied since the 2015/16 campaign. Can you lead the first dominant force in English football back to the top? With a transfer budget of GBP 800,000 and a wage budget of GBP 213,320 per week, Preston are ranked in the middle amongst the 24 Championship clubs in both categories.
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Real Betis Balompie
The only other major honours ever won by Betis since that La Liga title back in the 1930’s were two Copa del Rey victories in 1976/77 and 2004/05. The club has developed over recent decades a reputation for being an underachieving club. A reputation made even worse by their fierce city rivals Sevilla FC becoming one of La Liga’s best teams in the same timeframe in addition to winning six UEFA Europa League titles since 2005/06.
To poke fun at their underachievement, Beticos, as their fanbase affectionately call themselves adhere to the legendary saying “Viva el Betis manque pierda” (Long live Betis even when they lose). However, here is where you come in, with a passionate fanbase, a huge 60,000 stadium in the shape of the Estadio Benito Villamarin and a base in the fourth largest city in Spain, can you shed Betis of their reputation as underachievers by winning another La Liga title? The club has a wage bill of GBP 993,470 per week and GBP 2,565,010 available to spend on transfers.
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Next, we head east across the Mediterranean to Italy and specifically one of
the countries two main islands in Sardinia. Unquestionably, the most famous
and largest club on the island is
Cagliari Calcio. Founded in 1920, Gli Isolani
have played all but one season since the 2003/04 campaign (2015/16) in Serie
A. For fans of the Sardinian outfit, however, one season stands out above all
other, the 1969/70 campaign.
Led by famous names such as Enrico Albertosi, Pierluigi Cera, Angelo Domenghini and Luigi Riva, all four of which would go on to be part of Italy’s national team squad which would go on to finish runners-up at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Cagliari went on to claim a historic first Serie A title. The key man to the title triumph was the aforementioned Riva, who scored 21 goals as Cagliari finished four points clear of 2nd placed Inter Milan.
Over fifty years on from that famous title victory, can you now inspire a similar miracle Scudetto title victory in Sardinia? Cagliari’s GBP 4,702,520 transfer budget is amongst the lowest in the league, however, the club are ranked mid-table with their wage budget of GBP 829,680 per week so this will be a tough challenge.
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To Germany next and arguably the most easily-missed or easy to forget about
side to ever have won a German league championship amongst many a casual
football fan, that club is
Eintracht Braunschweig. Founded in 1895, Die Loewen (The Lions) as they
are colloquially known as were founding members of the 1. Bundesliga,
Germany’s first-ever domestic league championship in 1963/64.
In only the fourth-ever German 1. Bundesliga season in 1966/67, Braunschweig won their first and so far only Bundesliga title. The Lower Saxony outfit finished just two points ahead of 1965/66 1. Bundesliga champions 1860 Munich. Intriguingly, in an era which is scarcely believable nowadays given Bayern Munich’s domination of German football, Braunschweig won a Bundesliga title before the Bavarian heavyweights.
Since the new millennium, however, Die Loewen have only played one season in the 1. Bundesliga (2013/14) and promptly finished bottom that campaign, instantly returning to the second tier. Currently, Braunschweig play in the third tier 3. Liga, a long way from their once dominant past. Could you be the manager to return this famous club to glory?
Cagliari Calcio
Led by famous names such as Enrico Albertosi, Pierluigi Cera, Angelo Domenghini and Luigi Riva, all four of which would go on to be part of Italy’s national team squad which would go on to finish runners-up at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Cagliari went on to claim a historic first Serie A title. The key man to the title triumph was the aforementioned Riva, who scored 21 goals as Cagliari finished four points clear of 2nd placed Inter Milan.
Over fifty years on from that famous title victory, can you now inspire a similar miracle Scudetto title victory in Sardinia? Cagliari’s GBP 4,702,520 transfer budget is amongst the lowest in the league, however, the club are ranked mid-table with their wage budget of GBP 829,680 per week so this will be a tough challenge.
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Eintracht Braunschweig
In only the fourth-ever German 1. Bundesliga season in 1966/67, Braunschweig won their first and so far only Bundesliga title. The Lower Saxony outfit finished just two points ahead of 1965/66 1. Bundesliga champions 1860 Munich. Intriguingly, in an era which is scarcely believable nowadays given Bayern Munich’s domination of German football, Braunschweig won a Bundesliga title before the Bavarian heavyweights.
Since the new millennium, however, Die Loewen have only played one season in the 1. Bundesliga (2013/14) and promptly finished bottom that campaign, instantly returning to the second tier. Currently, Braunschweig play in the third tier 3. Liga, a long way from their once dominant past. Could you be the manager to return this famous club to glory?
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The next club comes from France and its third tier Championnat National in
the shape of FC Sete 34. Based in the eponymous Southern French town, Les
Dauphins were founded in 1914 just prior to the First World War and were
founding members of the first Ligue 1 season in 1932/33 alongside their near
neighbours Montpellier Herault.
In just the second season of Ligue 1 in 1933/34, Sete won Ligue 1 and backed that up with winning the Coupe de France to make it a league and cup double. The Southern outfit then backed up this domestic double by winning a second Ligue 1 title in 1938/39 by a margin of just two points from much larger Southern French club Olympique de Marseille.
However post-Second World War, Sete have been in a state of decline. They were relegated out of Ligue 1 at the end of the 1953/54 season and have yet to return to France’s top flight. The club was even for a period of three seasons between 2009 and 2012 languishing at level six of the French football pyramid. Can you revive this once famous French club and win them another Ligue 1 title? With the town of Sete having a population of just 43,686 inhabitants, the odds are certainly against you! Brace yourself for a long save!
Seven times champions of Bulgaria, Slavia are currently ranked 4th on the all-time list for Bulgarian titles behind both city rivals CSKA Sofia & Levski Sofia and the new force in Bulgarian football Ludogorets Razgrad. Slavia’s last Bulgarian title came 26 seasons ago in 1995/96 making them the club with the shortest “long” drought from their last title out of the ten clubs in this challenge. Their 1995/96 title triumph was in fact one which ended a previous long drought for Slavia, their last title prior to that being back in 1943.
This challenge is similar to the aforementioned one with Florisdorfer in the sense that you must firstly establish yourself as the dominant capital club by getting ahead of Levski and CSKA Sofia before then toppling current ten times straight Bulgarian champions Ludogorets. Can you bring a league title back to Slavia Stadium in Sofia?
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The final title drought to break comes from Denmark in the shape of
Akademisk Boldklub or AB as they are commonly known. Founded in 1889,
Akademikerne (The Academics) are based in the commune of Gladsaxe, based
just north of the Danish capital Copenhagen.
AB are nine times Danish champions, with the last of these title triumphs coming in the 1967 season, the club are thus undergoing a 55 season title drought. The club’s golden era came in the 1940’s and 1950’s when they won five of their nine Danish titles (1942/43, 1944/45, 1946/47, 1950/51 and 1951/52).
Are you the manager to turn around AB’s fortunes and win them that long awaited title? The club are currently based in Group 2 of the Danish 2nd Division, Denmark’s third tier behind the second tier 1st Division and the top tier Danish Super Liga. Again brace yourself for a long save, however, one that should be fun in an often under-looked country like Denmark.
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FC Sete 34
In just the second season of Ligue 1 in 1933/34, Sete won Ligue 1 and backed that up with winning the Coupe de France to make it a league and cup double. The Southern outfit then backed up this domestic double by winning a second Ligue 1 title in 1938/39 by a margin of just two points from much larger Southern French club Olympique de Marseille.
However post-Second World War, Sete have been in a state of decline. They were relegated out of Ligue 1 at the end of the 1953/54 season and have yet to return to France’s top flight. The club was even for a period of three seasons between 2009 and 2012 languishing at level six of the French football pyramid. Can you revive this once famous French club and win them another Ligue 1 title? With the town of Sete having a population of just 43,686 inhabitants, the odds are certainly against you! Brace yourself for a long save!
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Austria is the next destination for this challenge and more specifically,
the country’s capital Vienna. Rapid Vienna and Austria Vienna are the two
most successful clubs in the country with a combined 56 Austrian
Bundesliga titles between them. However, other Viennese clubs have won
Austrian football’s top prize such as First Vienna (Austria’s oldest
football club), Wiener SK, Hakoah Vienna and the Austrian club you must
conduct this challenge with, Florisdorfer AC.
Florisdorfer AC were founded in 1904 and hail from the eponymous 21st district of Vienna. They have just one Austrian title to their name, won in 1917/18 and currently lie in the 2. Liga, Austria’s second tier. The club has been outside of Austria’s top flight since the early 1950’s and have even spent time in Austria’s fourth tier regional leagues.
Like the aforementioned save with FC Sete, this will be a long save, so brace yourself, however, can you take Florisdorfer back to the top of Austrian football? The challenge is almost a double one in the sense that you have to establish yourself as Vienna’s top club once more by getting ahead of Rapid and Austria Vienna. Once you have done that, there is the daunting prospect of trying to usurp the current dominant force in Austrian football, RB Salzburg.
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Heading South-East from Austria now into Serbia for the eighth title
winning drought to end. Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade are
modern-day Serbian football’s two dominant forces. Both also formed part
of Yugoslavian football’s “Big Four” clubs alongside Croatian duo Dinamo
Zagreb and Hadjuk Split. Since Montenegrin independence in 2006 and the
new Serbian Super Liga being established, both Red Star and Partizan have
won every title.
Such is the dominance of Serbian football’s big two, only two clubs have even managed to separate them in the league standings and finish second place since the establishment of the Serbian Super Liga in 2006/07, Radnicki Nis in 2018/19 and FK Vojvodina in 2008/09. It is with the latter of these two clubs who you will be looking to break the title winning drought with.
Based in Serbia’s second largest city of Novi Sad, FK Vojvodina were founded in 1914 and spent a total of 44 seasons in the Yugoslav First League, the former country’s top flight. One of its most successful clubs, Lale (Tulips) as they are famously known as by their fans won two Yugoslav titles in 1965/66 and 1988/89.
In addition to their one Serbian Super Liga runners-up finish, Vojvodina have recorded seven 3rd place finishes and have won the Serbian Cup twice (2013/14 and 2019/20). Can you now dethrone the dominance of Serbian football’s “Big Two” of Partizan and Red Star and end a 33 year wait for a league title for the fans at Karadjordje Stadium?
Floridsdorfer AC
Florisdorfer AC were founded in 1904 and hail from the eponymous 21st district of Vienna. They have just one Austrian title to their name, won in 1917/18 and currently lie in the 2. Liga, Austria’s second tier. The club has been outside of Austria’s top flight since the early 1950’s and have even spent time in Austria’s fourth tier regional leagues.
Like the aforementioned save with FC Sete, this will be a long save, so brace yourself, however, can you take Florisdorfer back to the top of Austrian football? The challenge is almost a double one in the sense that you have to establish yourself as Vienna’s top club once more by getting ahead of Rapid and Austria Vienna. Once you have done that, there is the daunting prospect of trying to usurp the current dominant force in Austrian football, RB Salzburg.
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FK Vojvodina
Such is the dominance of Serbian football’s big two, only two clubs have even managed to separate them in the league standings and finish second place since the establishment of the Serbian Super Liga in 2006/07, Radnicki Nis in 2018/19 and FK Vojvodina in 2008/09. It is with the latter of these two clubs who you will be looking to break the title winning drought with.
Based in Serbia’s second largest city of Novi Sad, FK Vojvodina were founded in 1914 and spent a total of 44 seasons in the Yugoslav First League, the former country’s top flight. One of its most successful clubs, Lale (Tulips) as they are famously known as by their fans won two Yugoslav titles in 1965/66 and 1988/89.
In addition to their one Serbian Super Liga runners-up finish, Vojvodina have recorded seven 3rd place finishes and have won the Serbian Cup twice (2013/14 and 2019/20). Can you now dethrone the dominance of Serbian football’s “Big Two” of Partizan and Red Star and end a 33 year wait for a league title for the fans at Karadjordje Stadium?
PFC Slavia Sofia
The penultimate team in the end the title drought challenge comes from
Bulgaria in the shape of Slavia Sofia. The oldest sports club in Sofia,
Slavia were founded in 1913 and are alongside city rivals Levski Sofia
one of only two clubs to have never been relegated from Bulgaria’s top
flight.
Seven times champions of Bulgaria, Slavia are currently ranked 4th on the all-time list for Bulgarian titles behind both city rivals CSKA Sofia & Levski Sofia and the new force in Bulgarian football Ludogorets Razgrad. Slavia’s last Bulgarian title came 26 seasons ago in 1995/96 making them the club with the shortest “long” drought from their last title out of the ten clubs in this challenge. Their 1995/96 title triumph was in fact one which ended a previous long drought for Slavia, their last title prior to that being back in 1943.
This challenge is similar to the aforementioned one with Florisdorfer in the sense that you must firstly establish yourself as the dominant capital club by getting ahead of Levski and CSKA Sofia before then toppling current ten times straight Bulgarian champions Ludogorets. Can you bring a league title back to Slavia Stadium in Sofia?
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Akademisk Boldklub
AB are nine times Danish champions, with the last of these title triumphs coming in the 1967 season, the club are thus undergoing a 55 season title drought. The club’s golden era came in the 1940’s and 1950’s when they won five of their nine Danish titles (1942/43, 1944/45, 1946/47, 1950/51 and 1951/52).
Are you the manager to turn around AB’s fortunes and win them that long awaited title? The club are currently based in Group 2 of the Danish 2nd Division, Denmark’s third tier behind the second tier 1st Division and the top tier Danish Super Liga. Again brace yourself for a long save, however, one that should be fun in an often under-looked country like Denmark.
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