5 best "fallen giants" to manage in Football Manager 2023

There's no other game like Football Manager 2023 that offers more options in terms of clubs to pick for management. The latest series is in Early Access, and anyone who acquires the PC version can jump into the game right away. They would first like to select the club they want to manage and get on with it.

There are different clubs available for different types of players to meet the challenges they want. Fallen giants tend to be the most interesting tasks as they involve clubs that once used to be serial winners. Due to a multitude of reasons, they have fallen from grace, and the player's onus will be to restore their previous glory.

There are several such options in Football Manager 2023, and here are five interesting choices. No two offer the same challenges, and some are harder to manage than others.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

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Top 5 fallen giants in Football Manager 2023 for long-term projects

1) Manchester United

It wouldn't be wrong to claim that Manchester United's glory days were over when Sir Alex Ferguson decided to hang up his boots. There was a brief period of resurgence under Jose Mourinho, but that wasn't meant to be the case. Football Manager 2023 players can do the same that Erik Ten Haag is trying to do in real life.

While Manchester United will give you money with sponsorships, the squad has several areas to improve upon. The finances have taken a massive hit due to years of financial mismanagement, and without austerity measures, players could find themselves in financial trouble.

Despite some talented footballers, there are huge wage expenses to mend and players to be sold. All this must be done while ensuring that the club returns to winning as quickly as possible.

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2) AS Saint-Etienne

New Ligue 1 and French football followers might not realize how big AS Saint-Etienne was once. The club has won 10 top-flight titles once but hasn't won one in over 30 years. To make matters worse, they unceremoniously got relegated to the second division, causing massive unrest among the fan base.

The finances in French football are as low as they are in real life, and will be even more reduced in the second division. Many of the previous talents at the club are now gone, but this is a great opportunity for some Football Manager 2023 players to showcase their transfer expertise.

Buying cheap and selling for a profit will be a mantra for anyone looking to restore this once-great club to its glory days.

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3) Valencia

Picking Valencia is an enticing choice in Football Manager 2023 for two reasons. When Rafael Benitez was in charge, the club was a force to reckon with in Spanish football.

It has several first-division titles and cups to its name, but those were gained some significant time ago. Another big factor is breaking the duopoly between Real Madrid and Barcelona. While Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone have done that briefly, the bragging rights remain consistent.

With Valencia, players can get exciting prospects in their squad, but the finances won't be great. They will have to make key decisions about whom to keep and sell. If Football Manager 2023 players can withstand the initial turbulence, Valencia could be a very interesting save.

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4) Parma

Parma has seen everything a football club might and does not want to see. It has seen the highs, and some of the biggest names turn up in their kit once. It has also seen so much turbulence that the club had to be relegated, shut down, and restarted.

Since 2015, the club has been on the rise with better guidance, but it's yet to reach the highs it once enjoyed. Football Manager 2023 players will have to start in Serie B, the second division of Italian football.

If someone chooses the club, a familiar name will be Gianluigi Buffon. The legendary shot-stopper is 44 but hasn't hung his boots as yet. The rest of the squad is average at best, and the finances aren't worth talking about. This is one of the hardest challenges that a player can undertake.

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5) Kaiserslautern

When the new millennium arrived, F.C. Kaiserslautern was flying high and challenging for titles. They also played in European competitions, and fans were upbeat about the club and its chances of adding to its existing silverware. Everything came to an end when the German outfit went bankrupt, with years of struggle followed by relegation to the third division.

After four years of struggle, Kaiserslautern is finally back in 2. Bundesliga, but the squad is very mediocre. Before chasing another promotion, Football Manager 2023 players must provide the stability the club has been missing. Thankfully, plenty of cheap targets can get the side promoted to the top flight, where the real test will begin.