Help a new American...please!

Hello all,

I am an American, who really does not know much about football / soccer, but is used to other sports sims like OOTP, etc. I was wondering if you guys could suggest some reading material I can get accustomed to the terms and basics of football, mainly the basic rules...different cups / matches / tournaments. Also, something to get me up to speed on different regions strenghts / weaknesses etc. I have watched many games on FSC and all, and I really enjoy the strategic aspect of the game. It is low scoring and seems to be a game of capitalizing on certain rare opportunities.

Thanks much, I really am interested in FM2009 but I am concerned I just won't "get it" because as you know this sport is not something easily enjoyed over here.

Thanks!

take a look around this site, there are many places in the forums that will get you acquainted with the game and the rules for different cups and such can be found when you start a game and pick leagues.

Personally i think the best way to understand football, or to know more about football is - to just watch the game. before long u will fall for it and understand it all! when i started following the game as a kid, i didn't understand a bit of the rule either, but to be frankly it's not that difficult to catch up with it compare to baseball. only exception is perhaps the "off side rule".

in FM's case, i'd suggest just get a copy and start playing it. at first u may not understand anything and make a mess out of it. but i m pretty sure u will catch up with it pretty soon. besides, i find the FM manuel which comes with the game can be pretty handy for the new gamers as well. not to mention the FM09 game itself has in game instruction as well.

This might help you get started about some basics. Rest you learn by watching the beautiful game

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_football

Someone has to link to it, so it might as well be me.

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/lawsofthegame.html

Hello all,

I am an American, who really does not know much about football / soccer, but is used to other sports sims like OOTP, etc. I was wondering if you guys could suggest some reading material I can get accustomed to the terms and basics of football, mainly the basic rules...different cups / matches / tournaments. Also, something to get me up to speed on different regions strenghts / weaknesses etc. I have watched many games on FSC and all, and I really enjoy the strategic aspect of the game. It is low scoring and seems to be a game of capitalizing on certain rare opportunities.

Thanks much, I really am interested in FM2009 but I am concerned I just won't "get it" because as you know this sport is not something easily enjoyed over here.

Thanks!

Buying FM mate will make you see football in another way. You'll understand what managers are doing tactically wise and you'll be able to predict there every move. As well I don't think you'll have trouble in getting into the game as it's mega addicting

BTW welcome to the forums

Also, something to get me up to speed on different regions strenghts / weaknesses etc.

Aside from that, you will also find a lot of very good youngster in South American mainly (Arg & Brazil).

Asian have a league ranking (of sort) as well. Basically, the better league send its teams to the AFC Champions League, the "developing nations" send theirs to AFC Cup, and the "emerging nations" to the AFC President's Cup.

And in footballing terms, Australia are considered Asian because they always thrashed everyone else in thire own continent and wanted some proper competition.

Watch PL Football and Championship if possible. You will pick up the rules well, just like i did with American Football.

Well, I am trying to download the game, but wondering a couple of things.

The only digital download I can find is for the american version WWSM. Is there a place online I can get FM2009 digitally, if need be.

Are there the same patches and updates for both, or is one behind the other.

Just download WWSM. It's the same as FM (I have it) except it calls football "soccer" and has American spellings or something. It needs different patches than FM but I've always found them readily available. If you get Steam, it will update automatically.

As for learning about the game, I would suggest wikipedia (that's what I did). To get to know some of the players, just read up on the big teams on wikipedia. If you really want to follow the sport, order Fox Soccer Channel (it was part of a Comcast Sports package for me, like $5 a month and you also get NFL Network, Tennis channel, and some other stuff). It shows the English league and the Italian league, which are arguably the 2 best leagues in the world.

Good luck, I went from a stupid American who knew nothing about the beautiful game to one who is pretty knowledgable (well I think so at least!), I hope you will love the sport as much as I do.

You can download FM2009 by buying it from Steam. Just google Steam, download it and buy games to download digitally.

Steam only has option for WWSM, not FM2009

Not sure why as I downloaded FM2009 from Steam.

It really doesn't matter though mate It's exactly the same game.

If you want to know about football i'd suggest watching matches from different countries. Most countries have different styles. For example, the Italian leagues are famous for having a slow tempo where you get a lot of time on the ball and is more defence orientated. The Spanish leagues are fast paced and showcase some of the most skilful players in the world with enormous amounts of flair. Fast paced. The English leagues are also fast paced where you tend not to get a lot of time on the ball. It's also famous for being more 'tough' with a lot of 'hardmen' and tough tackles etc...

The Premiership, La Liga and Serie A are the best leagues in the world.

Steam only has option for WWSM, not FM2009

There the same game, just that FM09 is the English version and WWSM is the American version. I'd advise you to use the American version as you'll be able to understand more of the footballing terms in that game

What Country/league do you want to be in?

Do you get a manual with the download version? If you do read it will help.

As said in posts above the forum is the place to look around loads of posts to help new players of the game even Americans.

Good luck with learn about football and football manager. but be warned you will get hooked

I'd recomend downloading the game through steam as it's much quicker and also provides regular updates for the game. I'd recomend starting off in the MLS as you probably have lots of knowledge of that league with LA Galaxy as they're one of the best teams in the MLS

I also think the MLS would be a good start or a big euro team such as Man U ect

You could be the nearest team to you

the problem about MLS is that it is very different to any other league in the game because of the draft and lack of reserve and U18 leagues, England is the best place to go for a newcomer as it has alot of the most known players and its structured well

I'm also from the US, knew nothing about football, and came to FM through OOTP. My first version was WWSM 06.

Don't get frustrated and give up. It took me about six months to get a grasp on football rules, the transfer system, tactics, and how it all works in FM.

Go to the tactics forums and especially spend time in the TT&F thread here..

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=61144

Download the TT&E pdf document and I would advise printing it out to read at your leisure.

Get WWSM from Steam, it is the easiest way and it is the same game as FM. Default it uses US English but in the preferences you can switch to UK Enlish. To me using UK adds flavor to the game YMMV.

Good luck, stick it out it is well worth the effort.

I'm also from the US, knew nothing about football, and came to FM through OOTP. My first version was WWSM 06.

Don't get frustrated and give up. It took me about six months to get a grasp on football rules, the transfer system, tactics, and how it all works in FM.

Go to the tactics forums and especially spend time in the TT&F thread here..

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=61144

Download the TT&E pdf document and I would advise printing it out to read at your leisure.

Get WWSM from Steam, it is the easiest way and it is the same game as FM. Default it uses US English but in the preferences you can switch to UK Enlish. To me using UK adds flavor to the game YMMV.

Good luck, stick it out it is well worth the effort.

I'm always proud to see an American adopting the ways of the English for the beautiful game

@ the thread starter, the forum is a magnificent place for knowledge and questions. Knowledge about how FM works and knowledge about Football in general, since Football knowledge; tactics, training, youth development can go a long long way in FM.

To some people it's not just a game, it's a continuation of watching their team on a Saturday afternoon. It's truely wonderful trying to replicate your favourite teams success from the pitch into FM and facing the failures along the way, as well as the highs. So good luck

Too really love football find some clips on youtube of Arsenal playing during 2003/04ish. Im not an Arsenal fan but it is beautiful:D;)

I'm always proud to see an American adopting the ways of the English for the beautiful game

@ the thread starter, the forum is a magnificent place for knowledge and questions. Knowledge about how FM works and knowledge about Football in general, since Football knowledge; tactics, training, youth development can go a long long way in FM.

To some people it's not just a game, it's a continuation of watching their team on a Saturday afternoon. It's truely wonderful trying to replicate your favourite teams success from the pitch into FM and facing the failures along the way, as well as the highs. So good luck

i agree

Too really love football find some clips on youtube of Arsenal playing during 2003/04ish. Im not an Arsenal fan but it is beautiful:D;)

too true, just get some season review clips from somewhere and look at the atmosphere in the grounds in England, Britain has the best supporters anywhere

Once you've got the basics, Jonathan Wilson's book Inverting the Pyramid is a good start for beginning to understand how tactics developed in the game. I'd also recommend Rinus Michel's Team Building for an example of footballing philosophy in action.

To try and understand football

1. Try and watch some matches, doesn't matter what level, but full matches are much better than youtube clips

2. Talk to people who know what is going on if you don't understand anything.

To try and understand FM

1. Play with a big team. For example Manchester United or Barcelona.

2. Don't try and do anything to complicated, leave stuff as it is until you understand what it does

3. Read the manual

4. Listen to what your in game staff say.

Wooo, another North American on the boards.

My first game was FM08. Got hooked on the game and came on to the boards again in December '07 after EHM08 was discontinued and never left. Learn about the tactics through links that people here have already given you, and watch a lot of football. Since EPL season just ended, you have all summer to watch MLS.

Play the demo to get used to the features in the game, and play as a big club, or play as an MLS club that you support, since you probably have an understanding of the rules at least (like trades and drafts).

I used to be one of those North Americans who did not understand why people go to games for 1.5 hours to see a 0-0 game, but learning about the tactical side of the game made me look at the game differently, and once you love football and FM, there's no looking back.

Well I got WWSM, but you can change the language in-game to Engish(UK) and its the same as FM then. Better to use that as well.

Wooo, another North American on the boards.

I used to be one of those North Americans who did not understand why people go to games for 1.5 hours to see a 0-0 game, but learning about the tactical side of the game made me look at the game differently, and once you love football and FM, there's no looking back.

good to see an American falling for the world sport

good to see an American falling for the world sport

I'm Canadian. I am zero percent American.

Hockey will always be the sport I like the most, but you can say soccer is a close 2nd...trying to get my friends to like the sport and join the forums these days.

Where is this "Canadia" that you talk of? :confused:

Where is this "Canadia" that you talk of? :confused:

Somewhere near America. Think it's their northern neighbours. A beautiful country I would say.

Somewhere near America. Think it's their northern neighbours. A beautiful country I would say.

Isn't it sandwiched between two bits of America. Part of there if you ask me.. mutter mutter

Isn't it sandwiched between two bits of America. Part of there if you ask me.. mutter mutter

Sandwiched between two bits of America, one a former Russian territory to the Northwest, and a short boat distance away from some Danes who shockingly call themselves Greenlandic!

I'm Canadian. I am zero percent American.

Hockey will always be the sport I like the most, but you can say soccer is a close 2nd...trying to get my friends to like the sport and join the forums these days.

sorry aboot that, lol, i met a canadian girl the other day where i live(Leicester, England) and thought she was irish!!!oops

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=68744

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=9147

Check out these links, they helped me. After a basic understanding of positions and tactics just dive into the game using a team like Man U or Chelsea , a test league where you will be making mistakes, and do a search or ask when questions come up. Beware-this game is addicting.

Those Canadians just wish they were as good as us Americans , but really, I have been playing WWSM since 07. I don't eve remember how I found it, just stumbled on the digital download online and have been hooked ever since, already got my roommate completely hooked, gonna try and get a couple more people.

Those Canadians just wish they were as good as us Americans , but really, I have been playing WWSM since 07. I don't eve remember how I found it, just stumbled on the digital download online and have been hooked ever since, already got my roommate completely hooked, gonna try and get a couple more people.

Nah, spartans, I am already very happy living in my state-of-the-art Canadian igloo that some people think all Canadians live in.

I've spread the news about FM to my closer friends, and will try my best to force a couple of them to buy WWSM2010 and join the forums.

I told a couple people this year, and some tried a bit of the demo but didn't buy. They are soccer fans at least so they know all the rules of the beautiful game. Won't be hard to convince I hope!

Hello all,

I am an American, who really does not know much about football / soccer, but is used to other sports sims like OOTP, etc. I was wondering if you guys could suggest some reading material I can get accustomed to the terms and basics of football, mainly the basic rules...different cups / matches / tournaments. Also, something to get me up to speed on different regions strenghts / weaknesses etc. I have watched many games on FSC and all, and I really enjoy the strategic aspect of the game. It is low scoring and seems to be a game of capitalizing on certain rare opportunities.

Thanks much, I really am interested in FM2009 but I am concerned I just won't "get it" because as you know this sport is not something easily enjoyed over here.

Thanks!

Hey, another American here.

I grew up playing "soccer" and refereeing, but I knew nothing about football outside of the States. FM was really the catalyst for my obsession with world football. I had no knowledge at all of football outside of the USA until I started playing FM, and I owe most of current knowledge to FM.

The point I'm trying to make is this.. if you understand the basics of football, and by basics I mean the rules and all that, play FM. It will help you understand the game and tactics more, and it will introduce you to hundreds of clubs and thousands of players.

Hello all,

I am an American, who really does not know much about football / soccer, but is used to other sports sims like OOTP, etc. I was wondering if you guys could suggest some reading material I can get accustomed to the terms and basics of football, mainly the basic rules...different cups / matches / tournaments. Also, something to get me up to speed on different regions strenghts / weaknesses etc. I have watched many games on FSC and all, and I really enjoy the strategic aspect of the game. It is low scoring and seems to be a game of capitalizing on certain rare opportunities.

Thanks much, I really am interested in FM2009 but I am concerned I just won't "get it" because as you know this sport is not something easily enjoyed over here.

Thanks!

Hey, I'm right there with you. I'd like to add the all-time classic sports simulation game of Eastside Hockey though.

Anywho, the game is actually pretty easy to figure out, even for those of us who are below novices on the actual sport of soccer. It's also incredibly addictive, and I have found myself actually watching professional matches, which is something I never would have done before trying the demo of FM and picking up a copy later.

As for where to go, these forums have done wonders for me. I've picked up some lingo (whatever happened to calling a field a field rather than a pitch?), strategies, actual insight into the professional game as well as some differences between the different leagues. I'm still a bit hazy on the latter though.

Yeah as most people have pointed out just watching the game increases your understanding a lot. And try watching it with someone who knows the game as well, you'll pick up more when you talk about the game. And playing it never hurts your understanding.

On another note its great to hear more american people being interested with soccor. FSC has to be one of the greatest channels ive ever seen, england could do well with a channel like that. Its a shame more americans arent into soccor, the standard isnt very high there, when it could be brilliant i think.

Just watch games, you'll pick it up easily. Except the offside trap, but there's even a version to explain that for women

Those Canadians just wish they were as good as us Americans , but really, I have been playing WWSM since 07. I don't eve remember how I found it, just stumbled on the digital download online and have been hooked ever since, already got my roommate completely hooked, gonna try and get a couple more people.

You most certainly did get me hooked

I'm still completely terrible at lower leagues without "help", but I like to think I'm decent at the upper leagues.

It definitely takes time though. I'm really happy I had someone to walk me through it

However, once you figure out the nuances, it makes it even more fun.

I sure hope you enjoy it, as it's a great game.

Plus, FSC is awesome.

loving the north american banter, now you guys might see what its like in England, screw your country its your team your gonna defend!!rivalry plays a fairly big role in football here, its all a good laugh even if i do hate there team!

Oh, I know the rivalries, there are a fair good few here in the states, in fact, me and my roommate (hasdgfas) support rivals teams in just about every sport, including soccer, I am a Spurs fan and he supports the Gunners. There is never a dull moment there.

i think he supports the better football team for sure, check out my team leicester city for a 2nd team, if you want one anyway

Oh, I know the rivalries, there are a fair good few here in the states, in fact, me and my roommate (hasdgfas) support rivals teams in just about every sport, including soccer, I am a Spurs fan and he supports the Gunners. There is never a dull moment there.

Hey, at least both of you support MSU athletics.

I don't have a specific English soccer team I'm attached to. I support PSV from FM, in addition to my hometown team Toronto FC.

Stantoner, we both have Blyth in the BSN as our second team, mainly b/c they are the Spartans.

Yes rancer, we do both support MSU athletics, better than those Wolverines

Oh, I know the rivalries, there are a fair good few here in the states, in fact, me and my roommate (hasdgfas) support rivals teams in just about every sport, including soccer, I am a Spurs fan and he supports the Gunners. There is never a dull moment there.

As a fellow Spurs fan, my respect for you has increased 10 fold.

i think he supports the better football team for sure, check out my team leicester city for a 2nd team, if you want one anyway

But for you, it has massively decreased

As another American newly converted to a love of this game, and of FM, I'd recommend avoiding MLS. The league 'parity' setup of low MLS finances, MLS salary cap, and the draft system, makes it frustratingly hard to assemble a squad I felt was both good and that I was happy with. It initially kinda annoyed me FM rated American players so low in attributes, but now I feel it's actually realistic; if one wants to be a top player, one has to play in European/South American leagues (primarily). Americans just don't support soccer (as it's called here), and it shows in the talent pools. American kids with athletic talent hunger for NFL/MLB/NBA success. In the rest of the world, young athletes dream of the World Cup, and they get there by joining the world's football leagues.

So what most of this means for a MLS FM save is most of your available players are 'average' or slightly 'above average', with maybe one or two 'star players'. And those 'star' players will only generally be at the level of a hot prospect for an English CC1/2 player, say. This is replicated across the MLS rosters. And it seemed, with FM's match engine, this resulted in a lot of difficulty getting a MLS team to play with any sort of consistent good form. When most of your players (and their opponents) are averaging 10-11 in their positional attributes, and your stars (and theirs) are averaging ~13 for same; it seemed to result in losses for games you supposedly were heavily favored for, and inexplicable wins in games you were predicted to lose.

FM didn't honestly become fun, nor did it 'click' for me, until I started saves in the English leagues. I'd guess, though I haven't played saves in them, the same's true for South American, Italian, German, etc... leagues. At least there you don't have artificial constraints on your team; you can grow and build it as you're able. You can grow finances to build a lower league club to challenge in the top flights; you can attract top world talents with few (if any) limitations other than your own success. And, at least for EPL, the average players *start* at 13-14 for their positional attributes, and stars will be 17+ for same. This turned what had been frustrating match engine performances into results that seemed to make a lot more sense. I think the match engine really isn't setup to generate satisfying football unless you have those 13+ attributes.

So I recommend avoiding MLS saves. At least until you've played FM enough to be able to read the match engine, know how to build/tweak tactics, and have a good feel for what players/kind of players you need to fit into the various tactical outlooks one is pursuing.

As for learning the game, watch football. The recent ManUTD vs Barca match in the Champs final, and Chelsea vs Everton in the FA Final, are good examples. Both were educational for FM play, and both were also a lot more interesting to watch *AS* an FM player; I sat there thinking of things I'd be trying if those games were happening in one of my FM saves. It can be hard to find matches to watch in America; I direct you to search engines and say nothing other than to make sure you have a good net connection. That makes it possible to actually follow overseas leagues.

Well I got WWSM, but you can change the language in-game to Engish(UK) and its the same as FM then. Better to use that as well.

Another Ohioan? Cool.

And I'm totally doing that when I get home today.