MLS in Football Manager 2005!!!!!!!!

[profiled]

Just thought you guys would *LOVE* to hear the good news.

http://community.sigames.com/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=21019056&f=521102691&m=783202282&r=783202282#783202282

As well we need to change the name of this board to Football Manager, as the game we all know and love is no longer Championship Manager!

[KDdidit]

Sweet...will be nice to get all the US players back in there. Never really got into managing an MLS side though because although it seems SI tried hard get it close to correct (league structure etc...) it just wasn't close enough. That being said I'll surely give MLS another whirl when its released.

[profiled]

Sweet...will be nice to get all the US players back in there. Never really got into managing an MLS side though because although it seems SI tried hard get it close to correct (league structure etc...) it just wasn't close enough. That being said I'll surely give MLS another whirl when its released.

I'm there every day pushing those who need to be pushed to get things right this time. Perhaps we could come up with a thread here that discussed the things that were right in cm4 and wrong in cm4 and the things that would be good to be included, as it would help keep us on track and give you guys a voice in what things are the most *essential* to a MLS experience in Football Manager 2005.

[KDdidit]

Hmmm, I'll have to check the old memory banks because my memory of MLS in CM4 is fuzzy. By the time the "enhancement packs" fixed the glaring issues I was already wrapped up in an EPL job and then 03/04 came out and I switched to that so I think I only got 2 MLS seasons in. Did play a bunch of seasons of MLS in CM3 01/02 but at that point MLS teams were handled just like any other league team.

[Goodsport]

This is great news! I refused to purchase Championship Manager 03/04 specifically because it didn't include MLS.

So when is the expected release date for MLS Manager 2005? :confused:


-G

[Greddy]

This is fantastic news! Now I can bring american players to my spanish team! I never really play with MLS teams because of all the restrictions.

Thanks for the update man.


<EDIT> OMG OMG OMG! I didn't even read the thread you posted the first time.

IT"S BEING RELEASED IN AMERICA!!!!!!!!!! WOHOO!

[therealronaldo7]

The game will be available in American stores? When is the release date?

[BillQ]

Excellent news! I would assume this will be released in the fall, because, IIRC, CM usually relased in the fall to coincide with the new EPL season.

[Goodsport]

It seems that Eidos (who partnered with SI all those years making Championship Manager) won't have MLS in its upcoming soccer/football sim... if so, then the decision of which sim for me to play has been made that much easier! :cool:


-G

[jaredm]

I'm there every day pushing those who need to be pushed to get things right this time. Perhaps we could come up with a thread here that discussed the things that were right in cm4 and wrong in cm4 and the things that would be good to be included, as it would help keep us on track and give you guys a voice in what things are the most *essential* to a MLS experience in Football Manager 2005.

Profiled,

This is great news. I wrote a review (http://www.digitalsportspage.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=116) of CM4 that focused on how well the MLS was modeled in the game. Here's an excerpt that might be informative:


Another way to get players is through the MLS draft. The players are mostly unsigned 16 or 17 year old, with a few D3 players mixed in. There's a combine before the draft where you can see player performance. However, one cannot scout the combine, making it difficult to figure out who the good players are after only a three match combine.

There's even a one round supplemental draft, where you can pick up players after the first round of roster cuts. Here you can find an occasional gem. For example, in one season the Metrostars cut Tim Howard. This seems completely insane. But Howard was (somehow) making $475,000 a year, and they had to cut him in order to get under the salary cap. Cutting players for salary cap purposes is surprisingly realistic (Though conversely, I would have expected the team to put Howard on the transfer market before having to cut him. One pro, and one con.)

Speaking of other teams, transfer market AI for other MLS clubs is fairly good but still needs helps. MLS team will initiate trades (a problem in earlier iterations of the game) and rarely makes or takes bad trades, and tend to hold on to their star players unless they get an offer they can't refuse. The squads will make some decent signings, but aren't very aggressive on the transfer market. Teams don't try and get the best players available for Senior International slots, and often settle for players that would be poor even by MLS standards. They also don't go after U-23 players. However, they AI MLS squads do see the importance of signing Americans, and will often sign Americans abroad playing in the lower divisions (e.g. John Thorrington, Grover Gibson, Cory Gibbs, etc.) that can contribute in the MLS.

Some other random MLS comments. The board occasionally blocks transfers of players they think are essential, but you haven't played for years. This can be difficult, especially if you want to make roster room for a good foreigner but aren't allowed the backup to your backup. Also, you can schedule pre-season friendlies against teams all over the world. Most major European teams will not play against MLS squads in a friendly, which is unrealistic (MLS teams have played friendlies against Rangers, Celtic, River Plate, Tottenham, etc.). AI controlled MLS teams are not very good at scheduling their own friendlies, which hurts themselves since players aren't in shape at the beginning of the season.


I think some of the major problems were with the draft (no pool of college players and an inability to scout players in the draft made it essentially a crapshoot) and good players being cut or put up for the supplemental draft because their incomes were too high (mostly due to clauses where their income would increase 25% each year).

I'd be happy to provide more input if you want....feel free to PM me or post here for more comments on the MLS in CM4.

[kevruth]

Excellent news! I would assume this will be released in the fall, because, IIRC, CM usually relased in the fall to coincide with the new EPL season.

Football Manager/MLS Manager 2005 is expected to be released near the end of 2004.

[TheAtomicBull]

I'm there every day pushing those who need to be pushed to get things right this time. Perhaps we could come up with a thread here that discussed the things that were right in cm4 and wrong in cm4 and the things that would be good to be included, as it would help keep us on track and give you guys a voice in what things are the most *essential* to a MLS experience in Football Manager 2005.

I've got a couple of questions for you?

How difficult would it be to include a script that would gradually increase the number of MLS teams to 18-20 over time?

Will the smaller US leagues be there in FM2005? I know you could manage A-League teams in CM4, so I'm curious about this.

Also, what about the demand for new researchers since MLS will be in FM2005? I'd be happy to help if at all possible, especially with small details/lower league stuff.

[DutchFootballRulez]

Yes Smaller division US league will be there. If I believe what I read correctly. But the difference between the two titles Football Manager 2005 and MLS Manager 2005, are slim to nil. Different Logo Maybe, and a Different Box in the US.

I believe that now MLS will provide some help for getting the RULES correct. I wonder if SI still needs some MLS researchers.

[UxSxAxfooty]

Yes Smaller division US league will be there. If I believe what I read correctly. But the difference between the two titles Football Manager 2005 and MLS Manager 2005, are slim to nil. Different Logo Maybe, and a Different Box in the US.

I believe that now MLS will provide some help for getting the RULES correct. I wonder if SI still needs some MLS researchers.
I think the biggest problem in CM4 in MLS was the AI coaches would cut the goalkeepers to make salary cap room. Then, Adin Brown and Kevin Hartman were free agents for A-League teams and 2nd tier Euro teams.

Also, there is no news item that declares if a shortlisted player was waived.

Moreso, media interaction in MLS is abysmal. I know its not Europe in real life, either, but its not like there isn't any news or speculation about it.

Finally, from the perpective of coaching for a Euro team, its bloody impossible to buy the top MLSers. I've still never been able to sign DaMarcus Beasley.

Lastly, FIFA new transfer windows for the US need to be implemented, as well.

[UxSxAxfooty]

Yes Smaller division US league will be there. If I believe what I read correctly. But the difference between the two titles Football Manager 2005 and MLS Manager 2005, are slim to nil. Different Logo Maybe, and a Different Box in the US.

I believe that now MLS will provide some help for getting the RULES correct. I wonder if SI still needs some MLS researchers.
Hey, SI Games can give me a ring if they need a MLS researcher.

My CM4 database is entirely updated for MLS, and partially for the A-League. My biggest issue has been finding replacement teams for all the ones that've folded since the game was released. I've got the Austin Posse and Ajax Orlando part of the A-League.

[UxSxAxfooty]

Okay, one last general suggestion for the moment.

Football Manager should include club to club relationships and partnerships, such as Man Utd and Antwerp or LA Galaxy and Sao Paolo.

[UxSxAxfooty]

Okay, I lied.

FM needs to have the ability for a team from another country to play in another country's league. For example, the A-League. Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and now Puerto Rico all play in the A-League. However, CM4 has to have them all labeled as US teams. The minor, though upsetting, ramification is these teams fill out their rosters and sign a majority of American players rather than Canadians or Puerto Ricans.

The same could be said for the Welsh teams in England.

[SuperElf]

The minor, though upsetting, ramification is these teams fill out their rosters and sign a majority of American players rather than Canadians or Puerto Ricans.Well, we all know that the U.S. produces the best talent in CONCACAF.

*ducks*

[hoboken16]

Excellent News
I didn't purchase 03/04 because of lack of MLS

To help get around the salary cap I renegotiated my key players right away with larger incentive bonuses I used the money coming in to fill out the rest of the team

[DutchFootballRulez]

I think a way to fix it, is that When selecting the MLS/A-League and the rest, is that the option should read either "US/Canada" or "N. America" because the Mexican league is represented fine. And then in the database, you can do a search for Canadian talent and teams and the A-League should be referenced but not crosslinked to the US, but to North America. It'd be weird and it might cause database problems but i think SI can work it out.