How I Won Four Trophies in My First FM Career with Florentina (No Slaying, No Cheating)

The Underdog Gambit

I’ll admit it: I didn’t know what I was doing when I started my first Football Manager career with Fiorentina. No transfer budget. No star signings. Just a roster of mid-tier players and a dream that felt slightly delusional.

But then came the moment: Džeko’s name flashed on the transfer board. At 35? Still scoring? I didn’t care—I pulled the trigger on what felt like a nuclear option for my tiny squad.

That single decision became the spark.

The Dark Horse Runs Silent

We didn’t dominate possession—far from it. Many games were brutal affairs: 40% ball control, 1-2 goals conceded early, opponents pressing hard. But here’s where things got interesting.

Instead of panic, we adapted. Counter-pressing became our weapon. We’d lose the ball, win it back fast in midfield, then launch quick transitions through fullbacks or wingers who knew their roles like GPS coordinates.

And somehow… we kept winning.

The “Phased Acquisition” Playbook

Mid-season brought real-world inspiration: Liverpool spending £40M on Milner; Saudi Arabia landing Souza for €35M. So I did what any rational (and slightly reckless) manager would do—adopted the phased acquisition strategy.

I bought young talents not for immediate impact—but for future value. One contract at a time. Little by little.

Then came the gamble: £20M on an unhappy Bealy (yes, that Bealy). He had attitude issues but elite dribbling stats—xG per 90 looked like rocket fuel.

I ignored the whispers. And he delivered—in every single game.

From Chaos to Crown – The Quadruple Dream Realized

By season’s end:

• Serie A title secured after just one loss all year (a miracle if ever there was one).
• Coppa Italia victory in heartbreaking fashion — penalty shootout win after missing two chances earlier in regulation.
• UEFA Europa League final win via last-minute goal after being down 1-0 at halftime.
• UEFA Super Cup triumph against an elite side built on legacy players… which we beat because they overestimated our weaknesses.

No slaying saves — no infinite money — just smart risk-taking under pressure.

Why It Worked (Spoiler: Not Luck)

The truth? Data told me to stay aggressive off-ball while conserving energy defensively during high-intensity phases of matches — something xG models backed up perfectly during pre-season simulation runs.. The real edge wasn’t money—it was discipline in selection and patience with development timelines, something even top-tier clubs often fail to execute properly.