Dulpit's Pentagon Challenge

dulpit

For those who don't know what it is, the Pentagon Challenge is as follows:

Start a new game unemployed. Set your reputation as Sunday League. Win all 5 continental champions leagues.

I decided to start in South Africa, it's the only African country which meant I didn't have to choose between a few countries, and I want to finish in the higher ranked leagues (Europe & South America).

I started career, was unemployed but was quickly offered a job with Witbank Spurs, who are in the National First Division of South Africa (i.e. the 2nd tier). I started with 0 scouts, no assistant manager, predictions of a safe mid-table finish and off I went.

I will post the first season details this evening, and will possibly (read: definitely) be looking for boardsies interaction and assistance as I progress through this challenge.

dulpit

Pentagon Challenge - Season 1 (2012/13)

As manager of Witbank Spurs, I had to try to put together a team that was able to challenge. I anchored my team around the striker Ralph Matema, who notched up 23 goals in 30 games in all competitions. The South African First Division cup is the first competition I entered, I managed to get as far as the second round (quarter final) when I got knocked out by Vasco (RSA) who went on to be the losing finalist.

Once that competition ended the league began play, 16 teams for a total of 30 games. Only the top team gets automatic promotion, 2nd and 3rd place go into a playoff with the 2nd last team in the premier division for the 2nd spot. I started my season brightly, and my director of football brought in a number of loan players which really helped. With the constrained finances I was only able to find free transfer players.

My full transfer list looks as follows:



I won my first 5 matches, and after 16 games I was top, after losing 1 game and drawing 3. It was turning into a 3-horse race between myself, Santos F.C & Jomo Cosmos. I then hit a bad run of form in the league, dropping 13 points from 7 games, which meant I dropped to 2nd, with Santos becoming the front runner and ourselves & Jomo being well ahead of the rest of the league for the play-off spots.

At this stage the South African FA Cup started. This is organised in an odd manner, each round keeps the non-league teams together, the first division teams together and the premier division teams together, so that at the semi-final round there are 2 premier division teams in one semi and 1 non-league and 1 first division team in the other. I tried hard in this competition, managed to get to the quarter final where we lost to African Warriers, 4 days after we beat them in the league.

With only a few games to go, Santos decided to throw a wobbler and we managed to claw our way ahead. Last game of the season, we are 1 point ahead of Santos, they have a superior goal difference though, meaning if we lose and they draw, they win. Final matches are as follows:

Us:


Them:


I nearly threw the laptop against the wall when I conceded so late, but luckily Santos didn't score, so with us both drawing I win the league by 1 point. Phew.

Final league table:


Season 1 Summary:
Competitions entered:
First Division Cup: Quarter Finals (lost)
South African FA Cup: Quarter Finals (lost)
First Division: Champions

Onwards and upwards for the Spurs. Problems ahead are the fact that my team is pretty average, I don't have much money to play with, but the plan for the 2013/14 season is to consolodate our position in the premier division before making a run at the title next season. At a minimum I want to finish in the top 8 though, there's a cup competition for the top 8 that I want into.

Overall plan is to win the African Champions League within 5 years - not sure if this is realistic or not. I will provide more updates as and when I can.

gnfnrhead

This is part of my current game also and like you, I started in South Africa. I ended up winning the treble in the first season but my finances took a battering. Anything less than winning everything and I'd have been out of business. Got automatic promotion but my finances are still struggling.

Take the hit on your finances but dont go mad like I did. Spend a bit and you should get promotion first go. Get a few loans from Orlando Pirates too.

Good luck!

dulpit

gnfnrhead wrote: »

This is part of my current game also and like you, I started in South Africa. I ended up winning the treble in the first season but my finances took a battering. Anything less than winning everything and I'd have been out of business. Got automatic promotion but my finances are still struggling.

Take the hit on your finances but dont go mad like I did. Spend a bit and you should get promotion first go. Get a few loans from Orlando Pirates too.

Good luck!

Already promoted and working on challenging for the premier division...

Ando's Saggy Bottom

How's this been going?

dulpit

Pete Campbell wrote: »

How's this been going?

Badly Got to the end of my first season in premier division, finished lower down the league, but wasn't in danger of relegation. Work/etc has gotten in the way, so haven't been able to make any headway on this of late.

Have a full Saturday planned of Football Manager though, so hopefully will be able to make a better update along with some headway into the next few seasons (weekends have normally been my playtime, but last few have been busy)

IRA 1916

Gonna give this a shot.. Anyone know how to take screenshots?

gnfnrhead

IRA 1916 wrote: »

Gonna give this a shot.. Anyone know how to take screenshots?

You can assign it to whatever you want in the settings. It's either F10 or F12 by default IIRC.