Football Manager - Your Career

[mente captus]

why always England. i have activated North Korea right now to get a job there and to get the south korea job at the same time.

 

[mente captus]

anyway: i quit the Atlantas job in Lithuania and joined Highlanders FC from Zimbabwe

 

[smat]

I'm now manager of Skelmersdale, newly promoted. I have assembled a team of children. Let's Football Manager!

So far we've won one and lost three. If we keep that up all season, we'll be relegated and I'll get sacked again! Haha! Hahahahaha!

AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAHHHHHHHHHHH FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

 

[yellow]

I must say since moving to Cheltenham I've lost interest. One of the main reasons I joined was because they had a striker I'd tried signing with both Wrexham and Torquay, who scored over 25 goals last season. I finally got a chance to manage him but it turns out he left in the summer. Brill

 

[Luke Imp]

Not sure what to make of my slight tweak in tactics.

I've ended up with a slightly more attacking set-up (still 4-1-3-2), but conceded and scored less, which has left me 5th and probably only be able to get 3rd compared to the 2nd place finish last season.

Might stay with the same tactics but go slightly more direct, which served me well on other games.

The top 5 are Man Utd, Arsenal, Norwich, Rotherham and then Lincoln. Chelsea and Man City are 11th and 12th!

 

[pontoonlew]

Just a quick one;

Obviously in the PL you get 58m per season for TV rights. Usually I get that in a lump sum. Has anybody else just not had it one season? I can't work out if it's getting paid monthly this year but my finances are poor yet we're very well run. But because we have like £2m in the black my board won't finance a thing.

 

[pontoonlew]

Not sure what to make of my slight tweak in tactics.

I've ended up with a slightly more attacking set-up (still 4-1-3-2), but conceded and scored less, which has left me 5th and probably only be able to get 3rd compared to the 2nd place finish last season.

Might stay with the same tactics but go slightly more direct, which served me well on other games.

The top 5 are Man Utd, Arsenal, Norwich, Rotherham and then Lincoln. Chelsea and Man City are 11th and 12th!

Spurs are in League 1 on mine!

 

[Luke Imp]

Just a quick one;

Obviously in the PL you get 58m per season for TV rights. Usually I get that in a lump sum. Has anybody else just not had it one season? I can't work out if it's getting paid monthly this year but my finances are poor yet we're very well run. But because we have like £2m in the black my board won't finance a thing.

Not noticed that I haven't had it, no. On your finance bit, is there a big drop in any column to suggest you've not had it?

Spurs are in League 1 on mine!

Villa are in L2!

I thought it was weird when they wanted one of my £80p/w U18's on loan!

 

[Luke Imp]

3rd place finish, miles off the pace of 1st, Man Utd, who won 17 on the spin. They've been incredibly good the last 3 or 4 seasons and I can't get near them.

Signed a striker in January because I wasn't scoring. I'd looked at him in the summer but opted against it because the deal was too expensive. Went back in for him and in 4 months he ended up being my top scorer with 26 (23 and 15 were my other top scorers). Dread to think how many he'll end up scoring next season.

Got wiped out with injuries around Xmas time where I was losing players (8 at the worst) for 2 or 3 months.

 

[Jarvis]

Reading this thread got me all inspired and I decided to start a new FM game. Trouble is, I've only got FM12 and I can't be bothered (or particularly afford) to be buying the latest one.

So, I started a game up unemployed, with Professional experience, because that's definitely realistic and went on holiday for a few years, as you do.

For anyone who's interested in my little bit of alternate football history, here's some info.

Premier League
11/12: Man Utd
12/13: Spurs
13/14: Chelsea

Currently, Chelsea vie with Man City for the top spot. With Southampton nowhere to be seen (though they're currently top of the Championship by some margin), West Brom are the high-fliers. Villa are in the Championship, and Birmingham are in the Premier League. Other teams in the Premier League include Bolton, Cardiff, Norwich, Reading, Wigan and Wolves. Interestingly, Louis van Gaal became Man Utd manager anyway. A special one has returned to Chelsea, a special one called Claudio Ranieri, and Arsene Wenger has retired and been replaced at Arsenal by Marcelo Bielsa.

Europe
11/12: Man Utd
12/13: Barcelona
13/14: Barcelona

Previous two finals have been Barcelona vs Inter, and its still on for a third in a row. Holland won Euro 2012.

World Cup 2014

FM12 didn't forsee Brazil's limp attempt at winning the World Cup on home soil. They went on to win the final 2 - 1 with a brace from Pato. Their opponents? Cameroon, naturally. It did get England dead on though. They went out with a whimper, losing 1 - 0 to Bosnia and 2 - 1 to Ghana to drop out before the third group match, drawing 0 - 0 with Costa Rica...Ireland qualified however, going out on penalties in the second round to eventual finalists, Cameroon. Germany went out in the group stage.

Interesting qualifiers include Bahrain, Iceland, Ireland, Jamaica and Mali.

Enough of the history lesson, you know all these bits of course because they actually happened, obviously. On today's date, I went on holiday again, setting it to return when I'd got a job.

With my experience as a professional player (what do you mean, you fuckers haven't heard of me?), and after some wage negotiations, I landed myself a high-flying position at Wolves, currently sitting 12th in the Premier League. It was February 18th, and we had 12 games to go. It was too late to push for Europe, but it was also too late to be dragged into relegation, in theory. A squad rebuild will have to wait.

I was thrown into a trial by fire in the form of a FA Cup 4th Round replay against Liverpool, which ended 2 - 0 to Liverpool. This allowed me to focus on the already largely completed task of Premier League survival. Early on, I secured the transfer of Jack Cork in a £2.6m part-exchange deal involving Sam Voke to go through in the Summer. I dabbled with the idea of signing Lindegaard from Man Utd, but found his wage demands far too high.

After three games in charge, Newcastle sacked Owen Coyle and speculation pointed to them approaching me. I held my tongue though found the prospect of moving to an established, larger team intriguing. The job eventually went to Bolton manager, Alex McLeish, so obviously Newcastle are looking to get relegated again.

Incidently, West Brom retained the League Cup. The swines. I therefore had to make sure I turned them over at Molineux, and thanks to a red card, we managed to beat them 3 - 2.

Over the final games, the team were incredibly inconsistant. I realised that the squad was too large and low morale was setting in with too many players believing they deserved first team football, and the goalkeeping department was especially lacking. However, I managed to bring Ebanks-Blake back in from the cold, where the previous manager had left him (why the berk couldn't just have come back in himself, I've no idea).

The end of the season came with Man Utd winning the title, with Man City, Chelsea and Spurs following in that order. Liverpool, Fulham and West Brom all qualify for the Europa League, and Stoke, Wigan and Reading are relegated. Southampton go up as champions, with Villa finishing second. Blackpool win the playoffs. As expected. for the third season in a row, a Barcelona - Inter final in the Champions League, and once again, Barcelona win.

Now the fun begins...

 

[Conker]

Any suggestions for signing in league two? A lot harder on this one to find players, doing my annual mansfield save and i'm struggling to find a bit of decent priced quality.

 

[smat]

Yeah. Seemed to be safe but then lost the last four in a row, got relegated on the last day. BOOOO.

I'm now manager of Skelmersdale, newly promoted. I have assembled a team of children. Let's Football Manager!

One win in the first ten games. My squad is terrible and we're predicted to finish bottom, but I feel like we could be doing a little better than this.

Playing 4-1-4-1, 'standard' approach at home, structured, direct passing, closing down, higher tempo.

Away, same formation with wide midfielders on 'defend' instead of 'support', no closing down, standard tempo, 'defensive' approach.

Losing most games by the odd goal. What should I do? Thinking about going 4-4-1-1 instead at home and going a bit more attacking. Away... I don't know, I can't quite seem to keep a clean sheet.

Cohesion for the above tactics are both around 50-60% though, maybe results will improve if I just wait it out.

 

[yellow]

You are crap aren't you?

 

[smat]

That doesn't really help.

 

[yellow]

Sorry.

Played my first match in charge at Cheltenham - an away game at Chester. Drawing 1-1, we get a pen, miss it then they counter and score. A solid start.

Possibly suggest setting up for the counter on the road? 4-5-1 christmas tree formation perhaps? Have you got any wingers with any pace?

 

[yellow]

Not enjoying Cheltenham at all. Lost every game so far.

Half tempted to resign to avoid getting a potential relegation on my CV….?

 

[Gulliball]

Finished four seasons at Torquay.

1st season - 5th in Conference (Lost in Play-Off Semi Finals)
2nd season - 5th in Conference (Won Play-Offs)
3rd season - 3rd in League Two
4th season - 4th in League One (Lost in Play-Off Final)

Quite annoyed to lose the Play-Off Final as Bristol City finished 6th, 16 points behind us and we were 3-0 down after 28 minutes of the final before eventually losing 3-1. Whole season lost in 28 minutes.

Have a very slightly increased budget for the coming season, so will just try to keep the bulk of the squad together with a tiny improvement here or there.

 

[Madejski]

Took a long break from FM but slowly been getting back into it the last couple of days.

Into February second season with Reading sitting 15th in the Prem, five points clear of the drop. After ditching the 3-6-1 formation that served me well in promotion and going for a more normal 4-2-3-1. Results have been similar but I have been far more consistent in performances and actually am starting to mix with the better teams (drew 3-3 with Arsenal a few games ago and should have probably won). Compared to the last tactic where i'd beat Man Utd 4-3 one week, then lose to Bolton (22nd in Championship) the next.

Unfortunately January didn't turn out very well with the board not willing to give me any more money after my £25m+ splash in the Summer (which could have been spent more wisely). My first team is very capable but as soon as injuries hit i'm stuck. For example, if my defenders get injured my backups are Martin Cranie, Charlie Mulgrew and Shaun Cummings..

Current first team:

Federici
Gunter Wisdom* Blackett Obita
Chalobah* Darder
Roberts Alli Wickham
Babacar​

Aim is to just stay up this year, which thankfully shouldn't prove too difficult given there are two really poor teams in the league. Then Summer I'll need to replace Wisdom and Chalobah who go back to their parent clubs, and i'll need at minimum a new right back, goalkeeper, backup centreback and backup winger.

Aim is Europa League qualification in fourth season of the game (so two years time).

 

[smat]

Went 'highly structured' across all three of my tactics and changed my target man to a poacher, and whaddya know. An upturn! A real, genuine upturn! Won 2-1 at home to my beloved Guiseley, was very unlucky to lose 1-0 at home to Brackley, won 3-0 away to Lowestoft and we're out of the relegation zone. Next game we were 3-0 down at home to Harrogate after 24 minutes, but no-one ever said it would be plain sailing. They have Shaun Jeffers, who tore us apart and looks comfortably the best player in the division.

One day, I will have Shaun Jeffers.

 

[yellow]

After ditching the 3-6-1 formation that served me well in promotion

How does this work? I'm intrigued.

Also we've had a bit of an upturn aswell Smat. Won a game in the league, and we've reached round 2 of the FA Cup, where we host Conference high fliers Dagenham for a place in Round 3.

Torquay are doing really well with the squad I built there, in hindsight I shouldn't have left as I had brought in some good players down there. Live and learn.

 

[Gulliball]

Sign some good players for Torquay. Leave and end up at Cheltenham? I hope you get fired and your stupid orange face falls off.

 

[yellow]

Torquay had been taken over by a group of frenchies who had no money at all. They wanted to cut 30% off my wage bill and want me to win the league with it!

Anyway, away to 2nd place Halifax. They score in the 77th minute, slight tweak of tactics, we score 88th and 92nd to win. #tacticalgenius

 

[smat]

What do you guys do when chasing a game and needing a goal? I tend to go overload, push up, play wider, higher tempo... And it literally never works.

 

[Luke Imp]

Overload, very fluid, more expressive, roam from positions, high tempo. I've not got the players to go HOOOOOOOF but otherwise I would.

Pump balls in the box, route one etc.

 

[yellow]

Yeh I tend to go route one to be honest, especially when I'm in the low leagues. Often tell them to take more risks aswell.

 

[Madejski]

How does this work? I'm intrigued.

Firstly I'll say that i'm likely the only person whose ever used a 3-6-1 formation.

In simple terms its a 3-5-2 but instead of 2 strikers I had a player sat behind, either as a support striker or advanced playmaker. Idea was to pack the midfield, stopping the opposition from being able to create much, then springing on them with options through the middle with the two up top or my two very capable wing backs - I've never had two players more suited to the wingback role than Obita and Gunter. I only went with the formation because Reading have a ridiculous amount of good Central Midfielders so it was a good formation to get them all playing. Key to the formation were the two wing backs but also a target man who has good pace (which was very hard to find) but once complete made it easy - Signed Babacar on loan in January and he scored 26 goals in 25 games. I've always been a person interested in winning 1-0, I set out not to concede and then try to get a goal or two when the chance arrive, so I don't think its a tactic that would suit many people. Also it more often than not has failed me in the Prem, though I may go back to it if I get better players.

 

[smat]

I played a 3-6-1 when I went to Real Madrid at the end of my Darlington career. It was amazing but then again I spent about £600m on the squad so I think anything would've worked.

 

[Madejski]

As for when I go behind, I try not to change too much (unfortunately fear of conceding more) but I normally slowly change up the style (Control-Attacking-Overload) and play at a Higher Tempo. I move the style up only ever after Half Time and will give some time on each before improving. So for example, if I go Attacking and i'm creating a lot of chances, I won't go Overload until those chances dry up. If something is working relatively well, I'll try to avoid changing it.

Sometimes it's worked when i've gone Overload, More Direct Passing and Whipped Crosses. Idea is to encourage lots of players to get up for attack, get the ball quickly into support them with a cross. Whipped crosses can go anywhere and I find that general crosses (and Route One) for that matter are generally easy to deal with by any decent centrebacks.

 

[yellow]

Fair. I may give it a whirl, although probably on a different save as it seems I'm stuck in a rut in the conference

 

[smat]

On a real run at the moment!*

*We've conceded more than three goals for eight games in a row