The "Credit Crunch"

I'm sure many of us are currently bogged down financially on a personal basis, but to what extent do you feel that FM 2010 should reflect the cash crisis?

In order to be realistic, all clubs except for the big 5 or 6 clubs in the Premier League will be cash struck to a certain extent. Cost cutting will be neccessary and this will most likely include the slashing of wages.

On the other hand, SI may choose to be kind on us virtual managers, by politely ignoring the credit crunch and continuing to allow teams like Middlesborough, Portsmouth, Fulham etc. to make several multi-million pound signings.

Some people may argue that FM is a football based game, and should therefore not become too involved with reflecting the real-life economy. However, I think that by reflecting the full effect of the credit crunch, the game will become a completely different challenge, and will result in manager having to closely monitor all spending.

Interesting thought. What's your opinions?

I'm sure many of us are currently bogged down financially on a personal basis, but to what extent do you feel that FM 2010 should reflect the cash crisis?

In order to be realistic, all clubs except for the big 5 or 6 clubs in the Premier League will be cash struck to a certain extent. Cost cutting will be neccessary and this will most likely include the slashing of wages.

On the other hand, SI may choose to be kind on us virtual managers, by politely ignoring the credit crunch and continuing to allow teams like Middlesborough, Portsmouth, Fulham etc. to make several multi-million pound signings.

Some people may argue that FM is a football based game, and should therefore not become too involved with reflecting the real-life economy. However, I think that by reflecting the full effect of the credit crunch, the game will become a completely different challenge, and will result in manager having to closely monitor all spending.

Interesting thought. What's your opinions?

This is more of a political debate lol. Some people have suffered as a result, while others havent, and its the same for football clubs.

i think they've done a really good job in changing the finances of the game over the years generally, obviously there are some flaws but overall i think si have done well to reflect the current financial world.

the finances of the game reflect the state of clubs from mid last year and does have a very realistic feel to it, my qualm with this would be that should we be saved from this financial metldown how long will it be before the fans of the game call for a patch to get rid of the credit crunch feature.

if we're going that full hog on the game then sooner or later people would start seeing games called off for riots, terror warnings, earthquakes etc. it would lose plot of the game

the finances of the game reflect the state of clubs from mid last year and does have a very realistic feel to it, my qualm with this would be that should we be saved from this financial metldown how long will it be before the fans of the game call for a patch to get rid of the credit crunch feature.

if we're going that full hog on the game then sooner or later people would start seeing games called off for riots, terror warnings, earthquakes etc. it would lose plot of the game

Exactly i had a post previously saying that there should be riots etc, to mimic real life, but it didnt go down too well.

to even get close to bankrupting a club on FM is almost impossible, there should be more cash insentives to good managers and and more hardships wit those that dont attempt to manage there finances in a organised fashion..

Not even the greatest so-called financial 'experts' in the world have a clue when the credit crunch will be over, so I don't see how SI can factor it into the game. Say your savegame is into 2013 - should the finances pick up or dive further? Who knows?

Well the so called financial experts have predicted a minimum of 10 years to fully recover from it so that's gives a basic time-line to work by, the last 1 was 7 years and they say it will definitely last longer this time round

Not even the greatest so-called financial 'experts' in the world have a clue when the credit crunch will be over, so I don't see how SI can factor it into the game. Say your savegame is into 2013 - should the finances pick up or dive further? Who knows?

Thats a very good point, i think for this reason the credit crunch cant be fully implemented into the game, at most all SI could do is decrease the amount of money being offered by AI clubs (instead of them bidding 3 - 4 times the value of a player have them bidding less) and perhaps have more clubs struggling with finances and seeing more takeovers occor as a result but for how many seasons, no-one knows so for that reason would it be realistic?

I am already experiencing such crisis into FM09

Thats a very good point, i think for this reason the credit crunch cant be fully implemented into the game, at most all SI could do is decrease the amount of money being offered by AI clubs (instead of them bidding 3 - 4 times the value of a player have them bidding less) and perhaps have more clubs struggling with finances and seeing more takeovers occor as a result but for how many seasons, no-one knows so for that reason would it be realistic?

I would probably agree with this. They could guess, but that isn't really the most professional of things to do on such a huge issue. If SI do the sort of things you have mentioned, it would be realistic enough.

I don't see how it can't be implemented, in some way. I think the finances work OK as they are, but it'll have to do with the way FM works out attendances. Lower league clubs are reporting drops, so I guess that could be reflected if you're underperforming or have a reputation for not being very pleasing to watch.

It'd be a tough thing to get right, though, so I'd be tempted to leave things pretty much as they are. After all, even at top clubs, people seem to be having problems with fiscal balance!

I can see this working to some extent, but you would have to go with what is already in place.

You would need to build a financial cycle into the game and let it run. As FM is already just one foot in reality and the other way off into the future, you would have to start it off and let it resolve itself. Then, when the game progresses to sme random point - it alerts that the financial world is melting again.

Think of the groans of disappointment at being hit by a recession in game! JOY!

I would like to see this implemented. I would also like to see teams fold, but then be recreated as AFC so and so. Also it would mean that in long term games, more variety of clubs would be able to come up. I know this probably would be hard, but perhaps the team with the highest reputation in leagues would move up a league and the like.

But first I would probably like to see the credit crunch situation being introduced, perhaps putting it as a fluctuating amount of years lasting for, perhaps also exchange rates being able to change.

I just hope it's done well either way, particularly in the lower leagues. Most clubs are seeing a drop in attendances, but not all. I supprt Cambridge United and there have been tons of "fans days" aimed at students, the armed forces, youngsters, just about anyone really, and attendances are actually up this year. There already is a "fans day" feature and maybe this could be expanded on and maybe given more importance in fm10?

All it means in the football world is we are going to see players to start being sold on what we think is the cheap. Especially compared to previous deals. That is easy to put into FM as player values will just have to go down.

I am already experiencing such crisis into FM09

So am I