[profiled]

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

http://community.sigames.com/eve/ubb...2282#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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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?


-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!


-G

[jaredm]

Originally Posted by profiled

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 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.