FM21 | The CSKA way – How to manage an Evil Giant. And why!?

PSG is one. Bayern Munich in Germany a second. CSKA Aransk in Bordavia a third. A typical “Evil Giant” of a club. Maybe the concept of Evil Giants is obvious to you, but I thought I’d explain how I look at them. Three things constitute an Evil Giant in my book:

1. Domestic league dominance
2. A shitload of money
3. A nasty tendency to walk all over the other domestic clubs with no respect or decency.

Evil giants and why we love toppling them in Football Manager

Snatching away the rival clubs’ best players and biggest talents serves two purposes. Strengthen yourself and weaken the opposition. Sometimes it even serves a third purpose. To piss off everyone else and show off your strength. Just like the medieval tale of the giant.

“But good giant, why did you stomp all over our village”

“Because I can, peasant. And now I’m gonna bite the head off all your sheep”
[INSERT EVIL LAUGH]

This is basically PSG coming in for your wonderkid. They don’t really do it because they need him, but who knows, maybe they will, maybe they won’t!? They do it because they can. And because it makes your team worse. And that’s why we hate PSG (at least it’s one of the reasons) and feel such an immense feeling of satisfaction when we finally manage to topple them on Football Manager. One of the most common ways to play the game is to take a smaller team, build them up, challenge the giant and finally slay him. Oh, that tingling feeling in your tummy when there’s a new sheriff in town! That feeling usually fades quickly and we start over. With another team. Against a different giant. The struggle is usually what we enjoy the most, which is probably the reason why no one wants to manage the giant. Until now, that is. I do and I will. Why, you ask?

Because I can.

The CSKA Way

CSKA Aransk is the ultimate Evil Giant. With 29 straight league wins and a budget larget than all other Bordavian teams combined, they are loved by some and hated by most. The fact that their status as the army team lets them conscript any Bordavian 18-year-olds they like doesn’t make them any more likeable. It makes them stronger. And more hated.

I’m documenting my endeavours as manager of CSKA Aransk over three platforms. The save mainly moves forward during my Twitch streams on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I also do a “Bordavian Football Show” on the weekends on my Youtube channel, where I look at Bordavian football from a helicopter perspective so to speak.

Here, in blog form, I’ll go into depth explaining my strategy to remain an evil giant and maybe even grow bigger and more hated! I’ll explain “The CSKA Way” when it comes to recruting, Club DNA, squad management and youth development. Anything that will keep CSKA Aransk as the ultimate Evil Giant.

I won’t be tied down to a regular schedule. I’ll write when I find something interesting to cover and I’ll publish once the post is finished.

Oh my, it’s fun being Evil!

Addition: WTF is Bordavia?

So, you’ve read this far and you have no idea what Bordavia is. Don’t worry, I won’t tell your old geography teacher. Bordavia is made up. Completely. By myself with the help of others. Some have loved the idea and others can’t stand these childish things. If you feel curious, you can read about the creation process here.

If you love it so much that you want to try life in Bordavia yourself, the playable database is here.