Football Manager, Part I

[Cannon]

I've played FM many times without 'cheating'. As you suggested in the first post, it's easy to do well with Man United on your own. I win the league most times when I play at such clubs, but I'll admit I'm not very good at improving the fortunes of financially stricken clubs. I went to sortitoutsi.net for info about patches, and stumbled across the forum which was loaded with tactics and training schemes.

I tried them and have played 2 games (as in two save files, not two matches) with them, and they worked out well. That's about it. It would be boring if I decided to start every game with the same tactic, or always buy the same players. It's not what I do.

Thanks for answering my questions. Sorry if I sounded a bit harsh before.

Additionally, let me challenge you to download the tactic and see if you have *instant* success with it. You have to develop your team to fit the tactic, and develop the tactic to suit your players, and when you find that middle ground you'll see the results. You don't picture Crouch & co playing patient build-up football, do you? No, route 1 is effective for them. And you don't picture Barcelona hoofing the ball up to the giant Guily and Eto'o? No, creative passing build-up with the use of a (brilliant) playmaker is their game. It's more of a challenge than you'd think.

You're right that I don't know how difficult it is to just download the tactic. I'm used my own since I started playing football mgmt sims but I've tested a few when I was betatesting and some clearly went beyond "solid tactics" and into just cheating. I do know from reading the forums that many new SI players who couldn't even get a win with ManU or Arsenal are suddenly on 20 game unbeaten streaks after downloading these cheats. These are people who don't even seem to understand the basics of tactics and half of them don't even understand the sliders. So maybe its not quite as tough as you make it sound? :D

If you're looking for cheating, there's a download at the same site for a tactic file that's been edited to unrealistically improve the players' attributes.

I do know that there were some tactics available for previous versions that exploited holes in the game's matchengine to make teams basically unbeatable. There are training systems and cheats that can make any player with any potential into a surefire world class star in a season or two. Those are the kind of cheats that bug me since it seems to defeat the fun of playing the game. I guess I can understand new players downloading a tactic or two just to get an idea of some realistic combinations of positions and instructions.

[Cannon]

In CM4, I moved from somewhat big club (Rangers) to MLS club(DC United) to Mid-table EPL club(Man City) to Man Utd. And I became successful at Man Utd. I prefer to go from club to club amassing successes everywhere (almost) I go. That's fun to me. Anyway.

I usually try a really big club (in my case almost always Arsenal for obvious reasons) when a new CM/FM game comes out and after a game or two lasting a few seasons I start new games at lower clubs. I use the games with the big club just to get a feel for the new game and bug finding (plus there is a bit of fun in seeing Arsenal do a treble and quad even if it was way too easy) but the games at the big clubs get old really fast.

I then usually go for a switch and take over a lower league club. My current favorite is Haarlem in the bottom Dutch league (their lowest in FM but nowhere near as low down the rung as the bottom of some other countries) although I have tried clubs at the bottom of most of the big European leagues. These clubs have some rather severe built in limits (in Haarlem's case it is a 3000 seat stadium, no money, and few fans) so I just aim at getting them promoted and then I move after a season or two at the top level because I'm not getting into europe unless its with a fluke cup win and I can do enough to keep the team up without too much trouble (and thus not much fun).

I then pick from a few quite fun mid-level clubs ranging from Wolves, R.Antwerp, or Le Havre to bigger challenges lower down like Carlisle United or Swansea City. I enjoy getting the better midlevel ones promoted fast enough to get to their domestic top level while most of today's stars are still in their prime and then pushing them onto Europe.

[CCSoccer000]

didnt everybody here know that you can buy Fifa 2005 and play the actuall games your self then if you have football manager you can transfer you record from Fifa to the football manager then manage your team. Its just as easy and your in control of both playing and managing your team.

[Bonji]

didnt everybody here know that you can buy Fifa 2005 and play the actuall games your self then if you have football manager you can transfer you record from Fifa to the football manager then manage your team. Its just as easy and your in control of both playing and managing your team.
I think you are thinking of Total Club Manager from EA Sports.

[Cannon]

I think you are thinking of Total Club Manager from EA Sports.

also known as FM for Dummies...or should we save that name for the new CM game? :D

[Bonji]

also known as FM for Dummies...or should we save that name for the new CM game? :D
Totally FM Light.

Question Cannon, do you know if players in Spain get resident status after a couple seasons? I feel like I have a couple players who were considered foreigners and are no longer.

[DutchFootballRulez]

Is that new CM5 game out? Or has anyone played it? I hate to ask here but I'd like to know.

[kjo199]

Although i would not necessarily buy it, I was wondering if the 2006 version of Total Club Manager from EA Sports is expected to be released in the U.S. , as i believe this past years version has not been released in the U.S. I hear that FM/WWSM is better but i would like to know my options. Thanks for the help.

[Cannon]

Question Cannon, do you know if players in Spain get resident status after a couple seasons? I feel like I have a couple players who were considered foreigners and are no longer.

I haven't played in Spain in the current version and I know there were weird problems (instant change, never changing, etc) with nationality in some earlier versions but I think they've been sorted so you should expect players to get the new citizenship.

Is that new CM5 game out? Or has anyone played it? I hate to ask here but I'd like to know.

It has been out for at least a month. I saw some pretty bad reviews of it but I haven't played it myself. Knowing that they were creating the game from scratch and only retaining the name and visual look to the old CM game, I decided to skip the new CM. I've heard that they have included a few new ideas (the way scouting is implemented for example) that could be interesting but that the overall game is very poor especially the match engine. In most people's minds, FM is the real sequel to CM03/04 while the new CM is the start of a new football mgmt sim series.

[Bonji]

I haven't played in Spain in the current version and I know there were weird problems (instant change, never changing, etc) with nationality in some earlier versions but I think they've been sorted so you should expect players to get the new citizenship.

So it is your understanding that a foreign player will become a citizen of the country if there for long enough?

[subbuteo]

Chelsea's 33 match unbeaten streak was just snapped 1-2 by Middlesbrough.
But my spirits were boosted when Fernando Torres just rejected Atletico's latest offer and decided to sign with Chelsea for next season on a free :-)

[iansfavouritecopilot]

So it is your understanding that a foreign player will become a citizen of the country if there for long enough?

Seen it happen. 3 seasons for Robinho @ Barca. :cool:

[Bonji]

Yeah, that is a great rule. Ronaldinho is no longer a foriegner.

[Bonji]

I'm leaving for work late, it's ok my boss is gone, because I wanted to wrap up season 2007/2008. I just capped off the double at Barca, winning the European Championship and the league. In one fail swoop I took home $28 million bringing my season profits to $110 million. I found a jewel in Argentina named Leonardo Pisculichi. He is a left forward and comanded a spot in my midfield once signed. After 22 games my $5 million midseason purchase had a 8.30 rating and won 5 MOM awards. Ronaldinho had another amazing season, scoring 23 and creating 15 in only 35 games. South American world cup qualifying and some injuries limited his time. Javier Saviola had 20 goals in 28 games.

I am now firmly in the Spanish Hall of Fame with 220 points from 2 Domestic Titles, 1 Major European Trophy and 3 Major Domestic Cups. I am slowly sneaking up on the Contenintal hall. This in a 4 year career.

Time to get to my real job.

[diplomatique]

Could someone tell me where on earth I can find FM 2005? I've been trying to get my hands on FM for over a year with no luck.

Amazon.com lists it, and I ordered it back in Feb. However, they just recently e-mailed me to let me know it had not come in stock and they were cancelling my order.

Amazon.co.uk won't let anyone in America buy the game.

The EBGames stores in my state keep telling me the game doesn't exist. I sincerly believe they are starting to think I am clinically insane because I'm the only girl I've ever seen in my local EB store and I keep asking about a game they seem sure is simply a figment of my imagination.

Anyone out there able to help me?

Oh, before you ask (and people have asked) I do know that in the States, the game is called Worldwide Soccer Manager.

[diplomatique]

Is that new CM5 game out? Or has anyone played it? I hate to ask here but I'd like to know.
Four Four Two magazine (the May edition) has a review of the both CM5 and FM2005, and apparently CM5 is out. FFT ranked FM2005 higher. Most of the CM staff went over to FM so FFT thinks that FM is better.

[scaryice]

Most of the CM staff went over to FM so FFT thinks that FM is better.

Actually, FM (SI Games) is the same people who made all previous CM games. They split with Eidos, who kept the name CM.

[diplomatique]

Actually, FM (SI Games) is the same people who made all previous CM games. They split with Eidos, who kept the name CM.
That's what I was saying. Eidos owned CM, SI split with Eidos, Eidos kept the name, SI kept the people and made FM. Essentially, the people who made CM are now making FM. Which is why FFT thinks FM is better.

[Bonji]

diplomatique, if you want FM 05 you'll probably do best on ebay. If you want Worldwide Soccer Manager 2005 you can order it from gamestop.com. WWSM is the American version. The game is the same, just the name is branded for the States.

[Bonji]

My World Class manager status has opened up some new doors. Argentina approached me to guide them through WC 2010 qualifying. Then Liverpool fired Rafa Benitez so I applied and got the job. I'm going to leave Spain and try my hand in England. Making the switch midseason is a little tough but I'm ready for some different surroundings.

Liverpool here I come.