Football Manager, Part I

[TheImposter]

Wonder how many of these fans will stay with you if you're relegated. I guess as long as you haven't inflated your wage bill you'll be OK.
That's what I figure -- if I go down, at least I should have a decent financial cushion and can build the club slowly, and hopefully get up again with a little more rep and the ability to attract some players.

Instead, I'd recommen using this link.
That's how I got Badalona. It's pretty cool. My 11 year-old came up with East Fife in the Scottish 3rd division, but I don't know if he's got the patience to stick with it. We'll see.

[JohnR]

Is the Football Manager AI improved over the CM versions? I know that Football Manager has tougher tactics, which doesn't interest me greatly. However, I'd love to combat a computer opponent that is smarter about its personnel decisions.

For example, I tried to buy a 20 year old English superstar forward in Italy, at Sampdoria (!). The kid hasn't played much, but when he has he's knocked them in, and his stats are awesome. Sampdoria wisely refused to let me buy him for 7 million pounds, even though his official transfer value was low.

Three months later ... the fools let his contract lapse to the point where other clubs can sign him. Instantly, every big club in Italy + me try to sign the kid. I give him what he asks + a big goal bonus, and boom he's mine. I've gotta compensate Sampdoria to the tune of 190,000 pounds.

Damn fools. This was kinda fun and I don't feel as guilty as I might because you do need some breaks playing friggin' Woking, but c'mon.

[gaijin]

The unemployed feature needs some work. If you start the game with england's leagues active you'll get Exeter every time. They should have added some randomness to the start. So you can hang around an wait until soemthing else opens up or just take the exeter job neither attractive if you ask me. Instead, I'd recommen using this link. (http://www.mitchellsclose.co.uk/fmteamselector/llfmteamgenerator.html)

It selects lower league teams for you. You can keep hitting the links there until you get a team in the right country. Much better than the unemployed feature if you ask me.

BTW, pay attention to your nationality when selecting unemployed. If you enter that you are a Croat, a Korean, American, or whatever it has a big impact on the jobs you are offered and effects the club and fan's initial view towards you. The limits it puts on your languages can hurt your gaeplay for awhile.

I get that too. If you start it in France, I got a good range of jobs. Got a job at Besancon in the 3rd Division (National)

If you however try and play in a foreign league (say Spain) as an Englishman you will get overlooked everytime. All leagues selected. Also depending on your nationality it can have an affect on what languages you speak. I made myself Spanish and then I became fluent in English and French too. At Grasshoppers (as an Englishman) its took me 3 years to speak fluent German. Maybe the lazy attitude of the English learning foreign languages is paying off.

My first season at Grasshoppers was difficut as some players spoke English and I spoke crap German. As a result, only 3 seasons afterwards, the fruits of those late-night German lessons are ripening.

It also affects the nationality of player you can attract to the club as well. As a rule of thumb try and bring in a player who can speak a language with someone in the squad. It will help them settle better.

btw: Just done the Quadruple with Chelsea........:D

[Tony Cheval]

Bluto, get the 1g RAM. Trust me, at current prices and gaming trends, it's the best value.

[Bluto11]

Bluto, get the 1g RAM. Trust me, at current prices and gaming trends, it's the best value.
i definetly am

[JohnR]

Not the brightest sparks, are they?

15 games into the season, I'm in 2nd in EPL, one point behind the leaders. The new flashes in - "The media are wondering whether Woking can maintain its unlikely title run?"

Uh fellas, I've won the league each of the past 4 years.

[elcombo]

were can i get this soccer manager thing how much does it cost?

[Bonji]

Not the brightest sparks, are they?

15 games into the season, I'm in 2nd in EPL, one point behind the leaders. The new flashes in - "The media are wondering whether Woking can maintain its unlikely title run?"

Uh fellas, I've won the league each of the past 4 years.
Are you using some kind of a super tactic or database changes?

[Bonji]

were can i get this soccer manager thing how much does it cost?
You can buy it online (http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=646041) or you can buy it at a Game Stop store. You'll want to call ahead to make sure they have it. The website will also help you locate copies. You can also find the game at www.ebay.com but you run the risk of buying a pirated copy.

[JohnR]

Are you using some kind of a super tactic or database changes?

No, I use the ultimate cheat - I play CM 3, not Football Manager!

Nothing against Football Manager, I spent my money and bought the thing, but it doesn't seem to be my cup of tea. Too much mucking about in the tactical weeds for the likes of me. I like to tinker with tactics about once every 2 years. The fun for me is the transfer market, man management, and lineups. Like Fergie, in other words.

I'd probably get Woking relegated from the Conference in Football Manager.

[Bonji]

No, I use the ultimate cheat - I play CM 3, not Football Manager!

Nothing against Football Manager, I spent my money and bought the thing, but it doesn't seem to be my cup of tea. Too much mucking about in the tactical weeds for the likes of me. I like to tinker with tactics about once every 2 years. The fun for me is the transfer market, man management, and lineups. Like Fergie, in other words.

I'd probably get Woking relegated from the Conference in Football Manager.
Cool. You're right, finding success in CM3 is easier on the brain. I miss that. The last time I had a real dynasty I was playing the version between CM3 and CM4, I can't remember what year version that was. I lost the disk, otherwise I might follow your lead and start up a game there.

[ibreak4coffee]

I get that too. If you start it in France, I got a good range of jobs. Got a job at Besancon in the 3rd Division (National)

If you however try and play in a foreign league (say Spain) as an Englishman you will get overlooked everytime. All leagues selected. Also depending on your nationality it can have an affect on what languages you speak. I made myself Spanish and then I became fluent in English and French too. At Grasshoppers (as an Englishman) its took me 3 years to speak fluent German. Maybe the lazy attitude of the English learning foreign languages is paying off.

My first season at Grasshoppers was difficut as some players spoke English and I spoke crap German. As a result, only 3 seasons afterwards, the fruits of those late-night German lessons are ripening.

It also affects the nationality of player you can attract to the club as well. As a rule of thumb try and bring in a player who can speak a language with someone in the squad. It will help them settle better.

btw: Just done the Quadruple with Chelsea........:D


Word of advice... don't start the game as a Canadian :D The offers come about as fast as a snail on marijuana (though they give you bilingual status)

[ibreak4coffee]

One question concerning scouts. It seems every single time I send a scout somewhere to look for decently skilled players, they come back to me with good players, but whose value far exceeds my remaining transfer budget. Of course its good to keep these guys on the shortlist, but its frustrating that they are wasting time going after guys I cant afford. And it seems to happen almost every time? Any way to fix without specifying a specfic ceiling on salary?

Same thing happens with agents. I got invited to watch video of two different guys last month, and both of them were worth over 3 million euros. Maybe I got a reputation after an early fire sale that netted me 7 million euros (promptly spent on crap players and Quincy Owusu Abeyie, a great catch).

At least I was just able to sign Dennis Wise and Iain Dowie as Assistant Coaches. Bergkamp is currently considering my offer.

Another question with training. Ideally how many coaches should be assigned to each training regimen? I usually have 4-5 coaches on each, except for the ones I tend to assign more frequently (attacking, defending, containment and pressing). Has anyone found the right balance on how often I should switch the players on these schedules??? Thanks!!!!

I'll definitely rep anyone who can take time to answer these questions. And I'm really enjoying the discussions... they are helping me through the new difficulties associated with the new version...

[Bonji]

The unemployed feature needs some work. If you start the game with england's leagues active you'll get Exeter every time. They should have added some randomness to the start. So you can hang around an wait until soemthing else opens up or just take the exeter job neither attractive if you ask me. Instead, I'd recommen using this link. (http://www.mitchellsclose.co.uk/fmteamselector/llfmteamgenerator.html)

It selects lower league teams for you. You can keep hitting the links there until you get a team in the right country. Much better than the unemployed feature if you ask me.

BTW, pay attention to your nationality when selecting unemployed. If you enter that you are a Croat, a Korean, American, or whatever it has a big impact on the jobs you are offered and effects the club and fan's initial view towards you. The limits it puts on your languages can hurt your gaeplay for awhile.
Cannon, thanks. I'll try this next time I need a new game. Right now I'm trying to learn all I can about WSM with Barca. Things were going well until Ronaldinho broke his leg and will miss the rest of the season, healing in time for the start of the next season. I'm not doing too well in La Liga but I am in the quarters of the Kings Cup (or whatever it is called) and I am still in the Champs League. Hopefully I can win the Kings Cup to show something for the season.

Can someone confirm that link isn't working right now? I got an error.

[JohnR]

At least I was just able to sign Dennis Wise and Iain Dowie as Assistant Coaches. Bergkamp is currently considering my offer.


In 2008, I hired Bruce Arena as scout. Has been for several years now. I can find a better scout but c'mon, it's Bruce!

Admittedly, in my game Bruce lost his USMNT job after being knocked out in the first round of '02 World Cup. Never got the chance to be a second-round hero, poor guy.

There but for the grace of Korea go you, Mr. Arena! Toiling as a scout for Woking.

[Bonji]

My days at Barca are surely numbered. I haven't won in three matches. Injuries are killing me but I don't know if the board will accept the excuses.

Looks like I'll be looking for a job soon.

[Cannon]

In 2008, I hired Bruce Arena as scout. Has been for several years now. I can find a better scout but c'mon, it's Bruce!

Admittedly, in my game Bruce lost his USMNT job after being knocked out in the first round of '02 World Cup. Never got the chance to be a second-round hero, poor guy.

There but for the grace of Korea go you, Mr. Arena! Toiling as a scout for Woking.

The CM/FM games often underrate the US and Arena. In my last FM game, the US under Arena didn't even make the Hex despite playing a nearly full squad in every game! For some reason, Arena kept his job as I rose up the manager ranks in England waiting for him to get the boot.

[Cannon]

Cannon, thanks. I'll try this next time I need a new game. Right now I'm trying to learn all I can about WSM with Barca. Things were going well until Ronaldinho broke his leg and will miss the rest of the season, healing in time for the start of the next season. I'm not doing too well in La Liga but I am in the quarters of the Kings Cup (or whatever it is called) and I am still in the Champs League. Hopefully I can win the Kings Cup to show something for the season.

Can someone confirm that link isn't working right now? I got an error.

Yeah learning the game should be your focus at the start. While the old CM03/04 game was so easy that anyone could sit down at the computer and lead a lower league team to top titles, the new one is more of a "easy to play hard to master" thing.

The link works for me just fine. I just got assigned Runcorn FC Halton in the English Conference North Division for my test of the latest patch.

[JohnR]

I think I have this superkeeper/stuporkeeper thing figured out.

Had more room to contemplate the subject after enduring the following results -

Shots 15-4, draw 0-0
Shots 9-4, loss 0-1
Shots 15-2, draw 0-0
Shots 19-6, loss 1-3

SI has said in the past that it doesn't create superkeepers. It has suggested that these results can be do to aggressive tactics that create lots of poor shots, but are vulnerable to counterattacks. It has also been suggested (although not by SI perhaps) that this is what happens when the computer "cracks" your tactics.

I don't think that this is any of the above. These results were garnered a new formation, so not cracked. It's not a formation that floods players forward; indeed, in some of the games above I was on the counterattack and the other team was pushing up. So it can't be explained to poor quality shots vs. good counterattack shots. I used different keepers and different forwards, although all of my forwards were/are very good finishers.

No, what I think we have here is a gentle game-balancing cheat. Not a cheat aimed only at humans, I suspecdt. I think what happens is that after a prolonged period of success (several years) whereby a team is dramatically outshooting the opposition, the computer assumes that those shots are of poor quality and begins to adjust accordingly. Meanwhile, it upgrades the quality of shots from the opposition. Voila, game balance restored.

So technically no, these wouldn't be superkeepers. These would be ordinary keepers getting good stats because my shots are steered away from the corners, just into their reach. :(

I'll play another year or so, adjusting tactics. If no change, as I suspect, I'll just restart another game, starting at the bottom again. I do love being rich and being able to buy great players, but I'm even fonder of good gameplay. Right now, I win about 70% of the time when I dominate play, 10 to 20%% of the time when play is equal, and 0% of the tiime when I am dominated. That is beginning to grate. I'd rather be outplayed more often and have the odds be fair, that is about 80%, 35%, and 20% respectively.

[ibreak4coffee]

The link works for me just fine. I just got assigned Runcorn FC Halton in the English Conference North Division for my test of the latest patch.


Is there a 5.0.3 patch available now?