Have lost the spark recently with #FM2020. So I decided to do something a little different. Calling it the Eastern European challenge. Loading only Eastern European leagues, starting unemployed. One job was available at my level when the game loaded. Sportul Snagov in Romania.

Turns out Sportal Snagov went bankrupt a few months ago this year in real life. But in #FM2020 they still exist in the Romanian 2nd div. The manager profile I've gone with is an eccentric, kooky, polyglot tactician by the name of Davor Žižek. A 19 year old Slovenian/Croatian.

Always find when I lose the spark for this endeavour a good lower league challenge in @FootballManager is the best way to rekindle it.

Managed to get a job interview at Snagov and they've appointed a 19 year old Slo-Cro, because no one else is going to bother, clearly.

This is such an utterly nerdy and personal pursuit during lockdown and it's likely no one gives a shit. But if there are some FM heads reading, happy to provide an update on the life and times of Davor Žižek as this progresses.

#FM2020

Catching up on the FVS FM thread and seeing @ghana3032's post was what inspired this decision.

No matches played yet. Still sorting out the squad and back room. Budget situation is grim. Worst I've encountered in a long time. Have about 40 players trialing right now. So far, the best appointment has been Mart Poom as GK coach.

Pre-season over. Played dozens of trialists so not worried about the mixed results. Situation is grim. Squad is only 22 deep. I'm 60K over the wage bill so more have to go. Highest paid players are on £5.25K per week. Gonna be a long season. Bookies have said we're going down.

On the plus side, couple of good kids recruited. Like these two guys.

3 games in, safe to say this is the worst ever start to an FM campaign I've ever had in 20+ years of playing this thing. The team is very shit, but I am starting to think maybe this game has passed me by. At this rate, hoping to just score a goal. If I keep the job that long ...

After losing first 2 games 4-0 I made a tweak to my 'away' or defensive formation to go with just one striker. I thought it would at least stop the bleeding. I changed it to this and also dropped the keeper. Absolutely no effect. Opponents also had 2 goals rubbed out for offside.

Improvement. I only lost the 4th game of the season 3-0.

This is pretty grim.

paging @FootballManager, there is a good chance that managing Sportul Snagov in the Romanian 2nd division is the hardest challenge going around.

A point, finally. But it could have been three. A winning goal scored by my 16 year old striker with 30 seconds of injury time remaining, ruled out for offside. But it was a much improved performance. Tweaked things a little, to be more attacking.

Deadline day. I managed to get two players from my parent club (CS Universitatea Craiova). Two OK players who are costing me nothing which is great because I literally cannot spend another cent either on wages or transfers. Window now shut.

1-1 in the next result. Scored what I thought was the winner in the 87th min only to be undone by a worldy 2 mins later. Still it's progress. Think the team is starting to at least gel a bit better. Considering how many shots the opposition had, a good result. Picking up points.

Time to go outside for the rest of the day. Lost on pens in the Romanian Cup. Even brought on a player late that was decent at pens. It was a loss to a team in a lower division too. Time to have a good long day out in the garden and come back to this a bit later.

Here goes folks. Drew the game mentioned above 1-1, and now I come up against one of the bottom sides in "Gloria Buzău". Definitely will get the sack if I drop that game. Have reverted to a basic 442. On the plus side, I keep breaking club/league records for youngest ever player.

16 year old Raul Bucur scores in the 9th minute and it's a 1-0 lead for Snagov!

It's done! First win!

2-0.

I live to breathe another day.

Two wins on the trot!

2-0 again. Up to 13th. The second scored by a 16 year old. Out of the drop zone. Things have turned around. The key I think has been just removing complexity from the tactics. Keeping it much more simple.

Another young player record. Now up against the side in 3rd, away from home. Will have to switch up to the more defensive formation and hopefully scrape a point.