Take on the toughest managerial challenges in Football Manager 2024—can you turn these troubled clubs into champions?
1. Athletic Club
The top Basque talents are often already playing for major European teams or are prohibitively expensive, pushing you to work with the players you develop internally. Building a squad of elite Basque players often stretches beyond Athletic’s transfer budget, even with their rich history and devoted fanbase.
The real challenge lies in managing the turnover of players and developing academy talents to replace those who leave. Success here isn't about the players you can buy—it's about maximizing the potential of those already in the club and nurturing emerging talent within a limited player pool.
While Athletic has a fervent fanbase and a top-class stadium in San Mamés, consistent title contention is challenging given these recruitment restrictions. This makes Athletic Club one of the most rewarding and unique challenges in FM24—a giant of a club with enduring constraints for anyone bold enough to aim for silverware.
2. Sheffield Wednesday
The squad itself presents its own challenges, feeling pieced together without clear direction. You're dealing with high expectations from fans who yearn for the glory days, but with limited funds and little recourse for a quick squad overhaul.
To succeed at Sheffield Wednesday, you'll need to make the most of what you have, balancing the fans' high expectations with the reality of a club that needs careful financial management and strategic player development. If you're resourceful and can find hidden gems without big spending, you might just steer this storied club back to success—but don’t expect an easy ride.
3. Hamburger SV
The expectations are colossal, but so are the financial and structural issues. Despite being a major club with a dedicated fanbase, limited resources make promotion tough, and any success in the Bundesliga even harder to maintain.
Taking on HSV is a trial of patience, shrewd tactics, and financial acumen. Can you overcome the high expectations, manage limited budgets, and bring stability to one of Germany’s fallen giants? This save will put your skills to the test.
4. Red Bull Bragantino
In FM24, Bragantino’s challenge lies in creating a winning team fast enough to satisfy ownership, which isn’t easy in Brazil’s fiercely competitive top division. You’ll need to retain key talents while avoiding wage inflation, which can destabilize the dressing room. Can you keep the ownership happy, build a squad of ambitious young players, and establish Bragantino as a serious competitor? The pressure is on from day one.
Who will you try out first?
For some, Football Manager is a relaxing way to unwind, but for others, a real test of football management mettle is the goal. The above clubs offer intricate challenges that test your tactical understanding, patience, and creativity.
Pick any of these clubs at your peril, and see why they’re considered some of the hardest teams to manage in FM24. They may just be the ultimate test for any aspiring football manager!