The Football (or Worldwide Soccer) Manager thread

[tigerdave]

So my game kept freezing on the same date at the same time. I just started over and hopefully it doesn't happen again.

At any rate, I've started as manager of Valencia. Currently targeting Martins, Alves, Agger and Huntelaar as my offseason acquisitions, hoping to run a 4-1-2-3 of sorts. We shall see.

[Toon³]

Has anyone patched the game to 8.02 because Martins turns into a miserable pile of crap in the second season. Only 5 goals in 17 games and Frei from Dortmund has 19 in 23.

[colinh9]

Has anyone patched the game to 8.02 because Martins turns into a miserable pile of crap in the second season. Only 5 goals in 17 games and Frei from Dortmund has 19 in 23.

I haven't updated yet myself. I might when I get back and start a new season. Although I am tempted to continue my Arsenal career to see if I can reach new heights.

[tigerdave]

Signed Martins, Gomez, van der Vaart and Micah Richards. Thrashed Kobenhavn in the Champions Cup qualifiers, first competitive game of the season amid three friendlies (damn, Spain starts La Liga so late!).

My 4-1-3-2, with wing backs and 3 attacking middies: Canizares; Moretti, Marchena, Richards, Miguel; Fernandes; Mata/Arizmendi, van der Vaart, Silva; Villa/Martins, Gomez.

[colinh9]

I think I'm going to start a new game. Updating to the 8.02 patch now and then I think I'll start with Newcastle.

For those that are American, do you start your games as an American manager? I always do, but I find it more difficult to get job openings if you don't do tremendously well.

[tigerdave]

I think I'm going to start a new game. Updating to the 8.02 patch now and then I think I'll start with Newcastle.

For those that are American, do you start your games as an American manager? I always do, but I find it more difficult to get job openings if you don't do tremendously well.

I just created a fictitious manager out of Wales and start in the top English or Spanish league (Newcastle in the game that froze, Valencia in the current incarnation).

[colinh9]

I just created a fictitious manager out of Wales and start in the top English or Spanish league (Newcastle in the game that froze, Valencia in the current incarnation).

I like to use my own name and nationality, but I dig the fictitious approach. How detailed do you get and how many leagues do you usually go for?

My Arsenal game was in 2026, I had won 4/5 BPL titles, with a few CL and FAs thrown in there as well. I need a new challenge.

[tigerdave]

I like to use my own name and nationality, but I dig the fictitious approach. How detailed do you get and how many leagues do you usually go for?

My Arsenal game was in 2026, I had won 4/5 BPL titles, with a few CL and FAs thrown in there as well. I need a new challenge.

I had pretty much all the top leagues from all the countries as well as the second divisions from Russia, Sweden, etc., and all the leagues from Spain, England, Germany and Italy. It bogged down my computer like nothing else and given my processor is barely capable to run the game I think that's part of the reason it keeps locking up. This time around I have all the leagues of England, plus the top 2 leagues in Spain, France, Italy and Germany, and the top leagues from about 20 other countries.

I opened up the season with a 3-0 thrashing of Murcia, but then Real Madrid came to town and beat me 3-0 at the Mestalla. Currently slaughtering Marseille in France for the Euro Champs Cup but van der Vaart just got injured. We'll see how that goes.

[colinh9]

I never open that many leagues, but this next time I will. Do your seasons go slow?

[Russell1892]

Martins is being a bitch on mine, decided after the first season he wanted to leave for a bigger club, despite nobody other than Olympique Lyonnais being interested in him.

I somehow sold Jose Enrique for £17m :eek:

I also get sick of the match confidence thing, "the fans were disappointed with our inability to turn chances into goals." Really? I was delighted with it, what can I do if my two strikers with finishing of 20 and 18 respectively can't hit a barn door.

The fans took a hissy because I lost 3-2 to Real Madrid in the Bernabeu too.

[tigerdave]

I never open that many leagues, but this next time I will. Do your seasons go slow?

Took me about 3 1/2 days of actual gameplay to get to mid-June (where the game kept freezing).

[colinh9]

Ok, so 20 nations, 27 leagues. I take over Newcastle.

In: VD Vaart for 23 million. Arshavin for 9 million plus a few clauses. Marco Russ for 13 million. Had a 2.5 million fee agreed for Altidore but WP was obviously turned down. Figured it was worth a go though.

Out: Originally had a 24.5 million offer from Arsenal for Martins which went through because of a clause in his contract but he never accepted. Which made me sign VDV but still have Martins on board. Owen is going in Jan to Juventus for 27.5 million. 17 million clause and I couldn't get him to agree a new contract despite ridiculous wages offered. So I offloaded while I could get a lot. Rozenhal out for 2.3 million. Smith out for 8.75 million. Ameobi out for 5 million.

Line up switches between a 3-2-2-1-2 and 4-4-2 with preferred line up being:

GK: Given
RWB: Beye
CB: Taylor/Faye
CB: Russ/Faye
CB: Cacapa/Faye
LWB: Enrique or N'Zogs.
CM: Barton(after he's gotten fit) but Butt for most of the beginning
CM: Emre
CAM: VDV
ST: Martins
ST: Viduka/Arshavin

Mostly using Owen as a sub now and trying to adjust to life without him. Have 7 million still in the war chest, with 27 million coming in Jan through Owen. Expecting to sign a striker and another defender in all likelihood. Took the board up on Continental qualification, and adjusted my budget for almost all the signings to take my wage down and transfer up. I love the adjusted budgets.

8 games in and sitting in 4th, just 4 points off the pace of leaders Arsenal. Highlights: Beating Sunderland away with a VDV free kick in the 90th. Beating Boro 3-1.

Lowlights: Losses to Arsenal at home and United and Chelsea away.

In the league cup 4th round with a home game against Bolton to come. Just beat them in the league as well.

Taken 4 hours to get to mid-October, longer than my usual games but it's more enjoyable this way. I need to start bringing in youth and more cover at some positions but it has been a great start to the season.

[Russell1892]

Took me about 3 1/2 days of actual gameplay to get to mid-June (where the game kept freezing).

3.5 days? Taken over your life much? :D

Has anyone downloaded any of the facepacks or PL team badges? I hadn't until yesterday and I have to say it makes the game look a lot better.

[JaredSS07]

3.5 days? Taken over your life much? :D

Has anyone downloaded any of the facepacks or PL team badges? I hadn't until yesterday and I have to say it makes the game look a lot better.

Let me know which one you downloaded. I don't trust lots of add ons like that to actually look professional.

[Russell1892]

NUFC facepack (http://www.sortitoutsi.net/index.php?page=downloads&area=file&fileid=4950) - The only NUFC one I've found so far, the pictures are a bit "panini football stickers" but better than having nowt imo.

PL Team badges (http://www.sortitoutsi.net/index.php?page=downloads&area=file&fileid=5070) This one looks a lot better, really professional. And better than those stupid shields.

Getting them into your game takes a bit of time until you know what you're doing.

[colinh9]

One year finished. 5th place is the final league position. Would be extremely pleased if it weren't for missing out on the last CL spot by 2 points. A win in my final game (Wigan H) would have sent me through to the CL. Instead we go up 2-0 and blow it. Tie 2-2. Lot's of new signings and departures. Will update you on the new squad when the season comes.

Also seems to be a glitch in my game where all the lowest ranked teams are about to take part in the euro cup. Should be hilarious.

[tigerdave]

I'm currently 4th in La Liga through 13 games (two points behind Sevilla with a game in hand), and qualified first in my group in the Champions Cup (still unbeaten including two wins over Liverpool, a win and a draw over Marseille and a defeat of Steaua). Villa has 15 goals in 17 games and is a frontrunner for the golden ball. I've only lost twice all season, 0-1 to Barcelona and 0-3 to Real Madrid.

I've also developed a pretty sound attacking formation that works well for my club, with a good rotation policy:

GK: Timo Hildebrand
LWB: Emiliano Moretti
CB: Alexis, Micah Richards
RWB: Miguel
CM: Manuel Fernandes
LAM: Juan Manuel Mata
CAM: Rafael van der Vaart
RAM: David Silva
S: David Villa, Mario Gomez

Subs: Santiago Canizares, Carlos Marchena, Caneira, Sunny, Javier Arizmendi, Miguel Angel Angulo, Obafemi Martins.

As I mentioned before, I've also got Jozy coming in the window as well as a defender from Pumas and a young a-mid from Parma. Working on Akinfeev from CSKA Moscow to provide competition for Hildebrand next season, after Canizares' contract runs out. And I have one pissed off Nikola Zigic that's just kind of rotting on my bench, plus an assload of loanees. Valencia have like 15 guys on loan.

[Shameus]

Restarted a game as newcastle. Trying to see how hard it is to do without erasing Newcastle's debt first. Currently sitting 3rd in the league in Feb making the finals of the League Cup later this month and still in the FA cup.

In: Sonko (Reading), Van der Vaart(HSV), Doyle (Reading), Sergio Mota(Sao Paulo), Vanden Boore(Fiorentina), De Gea (Atletico U-18), Campbell(loan-Man U), Materazzi(loan-inter), Duda (loan-sevilla)
Out: Faye, Smith, Martins, Emre, Pattison

van der Vaart got for 15, which is a steal. Sonko I have had in every game I have played. He is really good in the game and you can get him for between 6-7 million from Reading depending on where you are in the game. Get him that first July and you can get him for 6.

[tigerdave]

I'm now sitting third after winning my game in hand. Currently have an unbeaten run of 17 games in all competitions.

[JaredSS07]

Finished my short-lived game as manager of Holland. Couldn't get past Spain in the quarterfinals. Got bored anyway and will probably go back to my game as manager of Exeter City.