I’ve been looking forward to doing this article for quite a while, but the latest edition of Football Manager is out today as fans once more get ready to guide their team from the bottom to the top (or takeover PSG, which should be considered a war crime). If you’ve just downloaded the game and have no idea who to play as, I’ll take you through some of my favourite ideas for a save. Before I do, obviously St. Pauli are one of them, for the reasons we’ve listed on this site many times before, but I wanted to list some different ones here and so they won’t be included. Instead we’ll start in Spain, with the club I’m taking on this season.
Deportivo La Coruña – Segunda Division B (Spain)
On April 7th 2004, Deportivo La Coruña put the world on notice when they stunned the European champions AC Milan by beating them 4-0 to advance to the Semi-Finals of the Champions League. Last season, they were relegated to the third tier for the first time since 1980/81, and second time in their history. Financial struggles have ravaged the club for over a decade and now, back at the lowest point in the club’s history, they have to rebuild again. Depor are a club known around the world, especially for their climb to the La Liga title in 2000 and subsequent Champions League runs afterwards. It’s your job to build them back to that level, with another title, Copa Del Rey and run to the late stages of the Champions League. This is the sort of save I love, turning a club’s fortunes around and taking them back where they belong. For more on Deportivo La Coruña, I would recommend this video from Tifo Football.
Other Spainish recommendations – Rayo Vallecano, Espanyol, Mallorca, Real Oviedo, Cadiz, Eibar, Unionistas
Barnsley – Championship (England)
You might have guessed in the past that I am a bit of a fan of Moneyball (the book, the movie and the general application in sports). We’ve also discussed how Billy Beane is a co-owner in Barnsley. The Tykes have been an interesting watch in the last few seasons, their managerial appointments, tactics and signings have made them a unique side in the Championship. The challenge here is to use Moneyball thinking to guide Barnsley back into the top flight for the first time since 1997/98, and to see if you can keep them there (preferably with Alex Mowatt and Aapo Halme in the side. SMILE AAPO, SMILE).
Other Championship recommendations – Wycombe, Luton, Brentford, Preston
Harrogate Town/AFC Barrow – League Two (England)
I’m putting these two together because they are interchangeable, if you want to start at the bottom of the EFL, then the two sides promoted from the National League last season are a great place to go. Starting with champions Barrow who made their name for the Barrow-celona style of play. They did however lose manager Ian Evatt in the summer to Bolton, so it’s a great time to takeover and see if you can continue Barrow’s rise whilst sticking to their style of football. Harrogate also play a nice brand of football under Donny native Simon Weaver and they’re making their first ever foray into the Football League, keeping them there is your first challenge, rising up to Leeds United levels is the challenge after that.
Other League One/Two recommendations – Ipswich, Charlton, Lincoln, Plymouth, Blackpool, Forest Green, Bradford, Southend
1. FC Saarbrücken – 3. Liga (Germany)
We’ve mentioned Saarbrücken a lot on this website as well. After making the DFB Pokal Semi Final last year, Saarbrücken are in the 3rd tier of German football after winning the Regionalliga Südwest last season. They’ve been doing really well so far this season, finding themselves top of the league, in pole position for back to back promotions and a place in the 2. Bundesliga. The objective is to go one step further in the DFB Pokal, make the Bundesliga for the first time since 1992/93, and make the Champions League for the first time since the first season of the European Cup, back in 1955/56. An interesting side that has been punching above their weight recently, let’s see if you can keep it that way.
Other German teams – St. Pauli (obviously), Union Berlin, Arminia Bielefeld, Würzburger Kickers, 1860 Munich, 1. FC Kaiserslautern
Dulwich Hamlet – National League South (England)
We’ve mentioned Dulwich Hamlet on this website a lot as well so I won’t go into the club in detail (more here). Dulwich are in the 6th tier, the best they’ve ever had it. Getting them even higher up the footballing pyramid would therefore be even better. You’ve got some work to do, they’ve been struggling so far this season, meaning you’re at the bottom of the 6th tier, but challenge is what makes the game so fun.
Other non-league sides – York, Wrexham, King’s Lynn, Notts County, Chester, Darlington, Hereford.
Red Star – Championnat National (France)
Red Star are one of the oldest clubs in France, third oldest in fact. They have a rich history after being founded by Jules Rimet, the man with his name on that trophy. They were a founding member of the top flight in France, but haven’t experienced Ligue 1 since 1974/75 (that year some Leeds fans were in Paris). PSG weren’t even a club at that stage but now this Parisian club live in the shadows of their much younger, richer brother. PSG need taking down and why not do it with their neighbours, the old underdog often forgotten by fans outside the city. They’re the perfect tonic to PSG, you could make them the saviours of French football.
Cruzerio – Brasileirão Série B (Brazil)
I’m not going to pretend to know about Brazilian football, so I’ll just direct you to this video from HITC Sevens about what has been going on with the club in the past few years. For a side as big as they are, they’ve fallen quite drastically. Take them back to where they belong and reignite the rivalry with Atlético Mineiro.
Bodø/Glimt – Eliteserien (Norway)
This last week has seen Bodø/Glimt win Norway’s top flight for the first time in the club’s 104 history, becoming Norway’s most northly champions in the process (which is impressive when you consider travel times for away days). So the goal is obvious, repeat it, turn Bodø/Glimt into a Norwegian powerhouse and then venture into Europe, being the first Norwegian side to venture far into European competition since Rosenborg made the Champions League Quarter Finals in 1996/97. Also their fans are known for giant yellow toothbrushes and that’s the best thing in this entire article.
Other Norwegian clubs – Sogndal, HamKam (that is their name)
Venezia – Serie B (Italy)
Venice is known for many things. The architecture, the canals, the floods, the gondolas, the floods, the cuisine, the floods, and now, Venezia FC. Venezia were meant to be the next big thing in Italian football when some American investors brought them in 2015, just after the club’s third bankruptcy. They’re better now, fighting at the top end of Serie B at time of writing, but it’s your job to get them to the top and to get the lovely city of Venice fighting against Turin and Milan for major honours. They’re also very unique with a green, orange and black colour scheme and a stadium right by the water (as if there’s a choice). It’s time to put Venice on the map … for football, and to introduce football tourists to the wonderful city (I’m sure they’ll thank you), end Juve’s reign of terror with Venezia.
I was going to put Palermo in here, but I’ll let you go to Alex Tant-Brown’s article for more on them
Which ever team you pick, I hope you have fun with the new game. Best of luck to you, especially if you pick St. Pauli or Leeds. Now to spend many hours getting Super Depor back to where they belong.
The Sports Blitz 
One thought on “The Ten Best Football Manager Saves”