Despite the various delays surrounding the game’s latest release, Football Manager 2024 remains one of the finest sports games. Football Manager 2026 is on the horizon, but many fans of the beautiful game are still getting their management fix from the latest version, particularly as there are always new clubs to take on.
For many gamers who adore playing sports games, taking a relatively small team up through the leagues or managing a club with ownership issues is an enticing opportunity. In the same way basketball fans enjoy watching their players progress in MyCareer mode in the NBA 2K series and American football fans typically assess NFL betting lines before winning against any online rivals with a newly-created team in ESPN NFL 2K5, taking on a stern test in FM24 is a preference for many managers, mainly if they’ve already managed some of the biggest teams like Manchester City and Real Madrid.
While it’s fun having a shedload of money to spend every transfer window, sometimes the real test for managers is when they’re up against it with limited resources. If you’re considering taking on one of the game’s more challenging jobs, we briefly highlight five of the most demanding clubs to manage in FM24.
Everton
Kicking things off with the only Premier League option on the list, Everton has had various issues over the years. It all culminated in a points deduction applied in the game, with managers having to start a gruelling campaign behind the rest of the pack.
You’ll still have top players to sign and funds at your disposal, but you’re up against it before a ball has even been kicked, which makes managing the Toffees a real test.
Athletic Bilbao
If you’ve exhausted all your options in England and fancy managing a team in Spain’s top-flight, look no further than Athletic Bilbao. What makes this particularly unique team such a hard job to take on is due to their regional restrictions when it comes to signing players, with Athletic only acquiring professional footballers from the Basque Country.
With your options being fairly limited in a league containing the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, it’s up to you to ensure Athletic Bilbao are thriving. The club’s top-notch academy system certainly helps.
AFC Wimbledon
A well-liked fan-owned club that has been on a remarkable journey since its formation in 2002, AFC Wimbledon is a team many managers want to take charge of. Without a wealthy benefactor, though, it’s a hard job to succeed in.
Thankfully, given the club’s limitations, you’ll have a patient board to work alongside, although the Dons in real life have shown what can be done despite their limitations as they currently prepare for life in League One. In the game, you’ll compete in League Two and take this fan-powered club up through the leagues
Reading
The aforementioned AFC Wimbledon is a fan-owned organisation due to its unscrupulous past owners. In the game, Reading is experiencing similar issues with a dodgy owner at the helm, resulting in an ownership crisis that impacts results on the pitch. With points deductions and transfer restrictions to navigate, Reading is a League One club many players fancy taking on.
FC Astra Giurgiu
I’m ending with FC Astra Giurgiu, the Romanian champions in 2016. They have since fallen to the country’s third tier due to ongoing ownership issues. From struggling to attract players to having a small transfer kitty to work with, it’s hard.
