Zane Pritchard FM
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The Iron Curtain #14
Zane Pritchard FM
Season Two: The Year Copenhagen Changed Everything When Zane Pritchard sat down for one of his rare interviews at the beginning of his second season in charge of FC Copenhagen, there was a refreshing honesty to his assessment of the club’s ambitions. Despite everything Copenhagen had achieved in his first year, Pritchard wasn’t prepared to […]
The Iron Curtain #13
Zane Pritchard FM
The Copenhagen Dream: Zane Pritchard’s Vision for European Glory Zane Pritchard’s vision for FC Copenhagen is remarkably simple: win the Champions League. For a manager who has rarely stayed anywhere long enough to see a project fully develop, Copenhagen could be different. Perhaps, finally, Pritchard has found a club that feels like home. Pritchard has […]
The Iron Curtain #12
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The Zane Pritchard Era: From Mexico to Copenhagen If you’ve been struggling to keep up with Zane Pritchard’s managerial career since his second stint at Hannover, you wouldn’t be alone. The man has become something of a footballing nomad, leaving a trail of trophies, wonderkids, record-breaking transfer windows and, occasionally, spectacular heartbreak everywhere he goes. […]
The Iron Curtain #11
Zane Pritchard FM
The Return of the Surgeon: Pritchard’s Second Hannover Rebuild Begins When Zane Pritchard walked back through the doors at Hannover 96, the mood around the club was eerily familiar — but the results were anything but. Thirteen league games had passed without a single victory. The spark he once ignited in Lower Saxony had dimmed, […]
The Iron Curtain #10
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Zane Pritchard: The Manager Who Refuses to Stand Still Zane Pritchard has never been one for comfort zones. After conquering England with a whirlwind, one‑season masterclass at Tottenham Hotspur, most expected him to settle into North London and build a dynasty. Instead, true to his maverick nature, he packed his bags and headed for France […]
The Iron Curtain #9
Zane Pritchard FM
Zane Pritchard at Tottenham Hotspur: A Whistle‑Stop Masterclass in Domination When Zane Pritchard walked away from Schalke, he did so with the Bundesliga title, the DFB‑Pokal, and the Champions League tucked neatly under his arm — a treble that would define most managerial careers. But Pritchard isn’t “most managers.” His next move was not about […]
The Iron Curtain #8
Zane Pritchard FM
Inside Schalke’s Historic Treble By The Athletic There are title wins, and then there are title statements. Schalke’s Bundesliga triumph last season fell somewhere between miracle and madness — a final‑day heist that rewrote the club’s modern history. But what followed under Zane Pritchard was something else entirely. A transformation. A gamble. A demolition and […]
The Iron Curtain #7
Zane Pritchard FM
Schalke’s Resurrection: How Zane Pritchard Delivered the Unthinkable (Again) When Zane Pritchard walked into Gelsenkirchen, he didn’t whisper his ambitions — he declared them. Boldly. Publicly. Almost recklessly. “We will win the Bundesliga. This season or next.” For a club still rebuilding its identity, it sounded like madness. But in a Bundesliga landscape where Bayern […]
The Iron Curtain #6
Zane Pritchard FM
The Maverick: The Turbulent, Thrilling, Unmistakably Brilliant Career of Zane Pritchard By The Athletic – Special Feature The Making of a Modern‑Day Enigma There are managers who build dynasties. There are managers who chase projects. And then there is Zane Pritchard — a man who seems to exist in the space between genius and volatility, […]
The Iron Curtain #5
Zane Pritchard FM
AS ROMA: THE SEASON THAT BENT REALITY — ZANE PRITCHARD’S IMMORTAL TREBLE There are football seasons… and then there are football epics. What AS Roma produced under Zane Pritchard wasn’t a campaign. It was a saga. A myth forged in fire, humiliation, revenge, and the kind of football that makes grown men stare at their […]
The Iron Curtain #4
Zane Pritchard FM
The Roman Resurrection: Zane Pritchard’s March to Immortality There are seasons that define a club. Then there are seasons that redefine football itself. AS Roma’s charge to the Scudetto under Zane Pritchard was not just a campaign — it was a cinematic epic, a story of defiance, obsession, and destiny written in crimson and gold. ⚔️ The […]
The Iron Curtain #3
Zane Pritchard FM
Zane Pritchard Returns to the Touchline: A New Era Begins at AS Roma After a year out of the game—a year many assumed he’d spend fielding offers, recharging, and plotting his next move—Zane Pritchard is back, and he’s back in a way only he could be. The English coach, fresh off a short but wildly […]
The Iron Curtain #2
Zane Pritchard FM
A NEW ERA, A NEW STANDARD: Zane Pritchard’s Remarkable Second Season at Hannover 96 Hannover’s return to the Bundesliga was supposed to be a survival mission. A consolidation year. A “learn the ropes and stay afloat” campaign. Zane Pritchard had other ideas. Fresh off guiding Hannover 96 to the 2. Bundesliga title and a dramatic […]
The Iron Curtain
Zane Pritchard FM
Zane Pritchard is a rising English manager making waves in Germany with Hannover 96, where he’s quickly built a reputation as one of the most disciplined young coaches in the 2. Bundesliga. Still early in his managerial journey, Pritchard has already stamped a clear identity on his team: defence comes first, always. Known for his […]
On the Rise #10 – Young Blues Rising
Zane Pritchard FM
If you’ve been following this journey you’ll know that I made it abundantly clear that I want to find success at Blues with academy graduates in the starting 11. I thought it was possible, I’ve done it before, but I didn’t think it would happen this quickly. At the time of writing we’ve won 7 […]
On the Rise #9
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations Season 5 I said at the end of the last post that we were just getting started after our first Premier League win. That was more than evident in my 5th season at Blues. We were light on the Right Wing, so Pedro Neto came in. For the first time in our […]
On the Rise #8
Zane Pritchard FM
Season 4 After 2 strong campaigns in the Premier League, I was very happy with the squad as it was. We looked to have cover in every position and the lads from the academy were developing well enough for us to have them start or be a regular fixture off the bench. Young Blues Watch […]
On the Rise #7
Zane Pritchard FM
Season 3 Objectives and Stipulations August – January Once again we had to move on some deadweight in the summer, so reinforcements arrived. Some of the reinforcements became available at bargain prices, so I couldn’t resist! With academy talents pushing through and depth across every position, we were ready to prove everyone wrong once again […]
On The Rise #6 – The 12 Apostles
Zane Pritchard FM
The history of Birmingham City isn’t exactly laden with success and trophies, but we as supporters have our heroes none the less. Players like Mikael Forssell, Christoph Dugarry, Bryan Hughes, Stan Lazaridis and Michael Morrisson are just a few favourite players of mine who have worn the Royal Blue down the years. In Football Manager, […]
On the Rise #5 – Young Blues Rising
Zane Pritchard FM
If you’ve been following this series, you’ll know I’ve put plans in place to focus on the academy here at Blues. Below are the objectives I’d laid out at the start of this journey: By more luck than anything else, our first intake of the save was dubbed a Golden Generation. 2 elite talents in […]
On the Rise #4
Zane Pritchard FM
Rules and Stipulations January – May We were certainly enjoying life in the Premier League. At the half way stage we were 4th and playing our free flowing attacking football! January began with a bang as we completed the double over Arsenal! A 4 – 2 win at the Emirates saw us climb to 4th. […]
On the Rise #3
Zane Pritchard FM
With the promotion celebrations still fresh in the memory of every Blues fan in the country, it was time to get planning for the Premier League. I’ve made the decision that not only do I want academy graduates in and around the team throughout this save, but I want Jay Stansfield (Stanno) here until he […]
On the Rise #2
Zane Pritchard FM
Coming into January I really wanted us to keep our foot on the neck of our opponents. We’d been very good up to now but we could be better. As mentioned at the end my last post, I wanted more from Stanno and Kyogo. We had our first intake preview, and safe to say it […]
On the Rise #1
Zane Pritchard FM
It’s safe to say I got a bit bored of my last “long term save”. For whatever reason I’d cracked South and North America without really trying and wasn’t really being challenged. With this in mind, and with a cup final still to play I booted up a new save with my beloved Birmingham City. […]
The American Dream – Episode 2 – Gremio
Zane Pritchard FM
After a successful first season at Gremio, it was time to go one better and add a continental title to our cabinet. We’d lean heavily on the young stars we have here. Mec, Monsalve and Edward. The board were clearly enjoying the success and agreed to improve the youth recruitment and youth facilities at the […]
The American Dream – Episode 1 – Gremio
Zane Pritchard FM
As I embark on my first chapter here in Brazil, the first thing I do is look over the squad, fill staff vacancies and ultimately decide on what I want to do here. Of course I want to win trophies and bring success to any club I’ll be managing, but I also want to change […]
The American Dream
Zane Pritchard FM
With the beta period of FM26 now over it’s time to start a main save! So often last year I found myself loading up the South and North American leagues with a plan to win league titles in each country and crown it all with a Libertadores win or American Champions League win. These plans […]
1860 Munich – Inside the Academy
Zane Pritchard FM
At the start of this save I outlined one thing in particular, develop players that come through the academy and give them game time. The long term goal here is to win the Champions League with at least 5 academy graduates in our squad. Usually I’ll chronicle a save season by season, but I’ll be […]
The 1860 Diaries
Zane Pritchard FM
Over my years on FM I’ve journeyed through multiple types of saves. Some I’ve enjoyed, some I’ve given up on after a season or less and some I absolutely love. The 2 saves that jump to mind straight away are Gremio and Austria Vienna. Both 1 club saves. As much as I enjoy sleeping around […]
Journey Germany – Episode 13 – The Blueprint – Part 1
Zane Pritchard FM
So, how did we get here? In my relatively short career here in Germany, I’ve won the Champions League with 3 different clubs, twice in which we were huge underdogs (Hamburg and Wolfsburg). Along side Champions League victories I have won the Bundesliga 3 times and the DFB Pokal 3 times. And this is everything […]
Journey Germany – Episode 12 – Wolfsburg
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Career achievements: Trophies – 8 – (Hamburg) – […]
Journey Germany – Episode 11 – Bayer Leverkusen
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Career achievements: Trophies – 5 – (Hamburg) – […]
Journey Germany – Episode 10 – Bayer Leverkusen
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Career achievements: Promotions – 2 – (Dynamo Dresden) […]
Journey Germany – Episode 9 – Bayer Leverkusen
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Career achievements Promotions – 2 – (Dynamo Dresden) […]
Journey Germany – Episode 8 – Hamburg
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Career achievements Promotions – 2 – Dynamo Dresden […]
Journey Germany – Episode 7 – Hamburg
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Career achievements Promotions – 2 – Dynamo Dresden […]
Journey Germany – Episode 6 – Hamburg
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Read episode 5 here – Episode 5 Despite […]
Journey Germany – Episode 5 – Hamburg
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Read episode 4 here –Episode 4 Summer of […]
Journey Germany – Episode 4
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Stipulations: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Read episode 3 here – Episode 3 Something […]
Journey Germany – Dynamo Dresden – Episode 3
Zane Pritchard FM
After all the celebrations and plenty of empty steins, it was time to build for the 2. Bundesliga! Not only were we weak squad depth, but we needed more quality in our starting 11 if we were to do anything this year. We had a £2m transfer fund and would have to be smart to […]
Journey Germany – Dynamo Dresden – Episode 2
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Rules: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Read episode 1 here – Episode 1 At […]
Journey Germany – Dynamo Dresden
Zane Pritchard FM
Objectives and Rules: Can only leave a club if a promotion or a trophy has been won Must stay at a club for a minimum of 2 seasons Win the most Champions League titles of any manager (currently 5) Win the Champions League with 3 different clubs Getting Started The first thing I do in […]
Journey Germany
Zane Pritchard FM
With the news that FM 25 will be delayed until March, I, like many others, have been searching for something to dive in on FM24. Save after save has been loaded up and just as quickly discarded. This got me thinking, why don’t I just treat it as FM25. The plan was to do a […]
Vienna Whirl – Part 24
Zane Pritchard FM
Read Part 23 Here – Part 23 The mission statement is as follows: Repair the financial damage Develop the youngsters in order to sell on for profit End Red Bull’s run of consecutive title victories Develop one of the best youth systems in Europe Win the Champions League An updated mission statement is as follows: […]
Vienna Whirl – Part 23
Zane Pritchard FM
Read Part 22 Here – Part 22 The mission statement is as follows: Repair the financial damage Develop the youngsters in order to sell on for profit End Red Bull’s run of consecutive title victories Develop one of the best youth systems in Europe Win the Champions League An updated mission statement is as follows: […]
Vienna Whirl – Part 22
Zane Pritchard FM
Read Part 21 Here – Part 21 The mission statement is as follows: Repair the financial damage Develop the youngsters in order to sell on for profit End Red Bull’s run of consecutive title victories Develop one of the best youth systems in Europe Win the Champions League An updated mission statement is as follows: […]
Vienna Whirl – Part 21
Zane Pritchard FM
Read Part 20 Here – Part 20 The mission statement is as follows: Repair the financial damage Develop the youngsters in order to sell on for profit End Red Bull’s run of consecutive title victories Develop one of the best youth systems in Europe Win the Champions League An updated mission statement is as follows: […]
Vienna Whirl – Part 20
Zane Pritchard FM
Read Part 19 here – Part 19 The mission statement is as follows: Repair the financial damage Develop the youngsters in order to sell on for profit End Red Bull’s run of consecutive title victories Develop one of the best youth systems in Europe Win the Champions League An updated mission statement is as follows: […]
Vienna Whirl – Part 19
Zane Pritchard FM
Read Part 18 Here – Part 18 The mission statement is as follows: Repair the financial damage Develop the youngsters in order to sell on for profit End Red Bull’s run of consecutive title victories Develop one of the best youth systems in Europe Win the Champions League An updated mission statement is as follows: […]
Vienna Whirl – Part 18
Zane Pritchard FM
Read Part 17 Here – Part 17 The mission statement is as follows: Repair the financial damage Develop the youngsters in order to sell on for profit End Red Bull’s run of consecutive title victories Develop one of the best youth systems in Europe Win the Champions League An updated mission statement is as follows: […]