Must Improve for FM2011

What do you think MUST improve for the next version of the game?

it can be a lot i know, e.g. 3D mode, TRANING part of the game, etc etc

For me the worst part of FM now is the TRAINING part, I hope it changes completely in next version !

I'd personally love the following;

* A set-piece creator, as corners and free-kicks seem very static in this edition.

* Tailored training for technical, mental and physical stats - aided by backroom staff (who now only suggest improvements to "special" moves rather than overall training).

* A further development of the 3D match engine, notably a better designed crowd rather than the bouncing coloured blobs we have currently!

* More options for transfer conditions, such as payments upon qualifying for certain competitions etc.

Its only a minor addition really but I would like a button added to the team settings screen saying 'Get backroom advice (a)daily, (b)weekly, ©monthly. The reason for this being that I am always getting messages from the staff saying that they have this to tell me and I havent had a meeting for x amount of time since I always keep forgetting about this new feature.

Instead of waiting for FM11 perhaps it would be easier to add this into the next patch.

Its only a minor request but I want a red beachball included in the game from now on. It might be a 1 billion in one chance of it interferring with play but it should be included.

Defending please.

Defenders are so slow to react to balls played behind them./ They just stand still for a second and then try to catch up to the striker.

They also don't cover properly at all. If a striker beats one defender the other one runs away from him half the time.

Instead of waiting for FM11 perhaps it would be easier to add this into the next patch.

I hope it too

Seriously though, I think they should remove the 3D match engine for next year. Its really spoilt it for me. Thats another reason Im still playing FM08 right now.

Im so sure alot of these new features has compromised the match engine in some way or another. FM08 match engine is the king.

Set pieces need more options imo, specifically throw-ins and free kicks. I'd also like news and inbox to be merged. I know I can manage subscriptions now which is a huge improvement, but I still don't see the point of having to go to two separate places to find out this information.

Seriously though, I think they should remove the 3D match engine for next year. Its really spoilt it for me. Thats another reason Im still playing FM08 right now.

Im so sure alot of these new features has compromised the match engine in some way or another. FM08 match engine is the king.

I don't understand comments like this, given that FM10 has a 2D option. Really confuses me.

you're right Starto; that 3D junk really messes up the match engine, more than before !

Training.

And the tactics system. Yes, I know we got the tactics creator this year, but honestly that's nothing new unless you're unfamiliar with the system. There has been too little actualy change in the tactical system the last few years.

I'd like an overhaul of the system, a more sensible layout overall, more options for my players, and something like the old arrows back. I want to be able to tell a player to play DMC, but pull out to the wing when attacking. I don't see why I shouldn't.

I also want more flexibility when positioning my players. Often I'd like to place a player between the AMCL and the AML position for example. This is particularly annoying when using 2 instead of 3 players in the center, as they get bunched tighter together without me being able to do anything about it.

And it seems the new "wing play" stuff only works for movement with the ball, not off the ball. Or is this just me?

Set pieces need more options imo, specifically throw-ins and free kicks. I'd also like news and inbox to be merged. I know I can manage subscriptions now which is a huge improvement, but I still don't see the point of having to go to two separate places to find out this information.

Yes, for the love of god yes, get rid of that crappy news system. Now they've even started sending expiring contracts of shortlisted players to the news screen, so you always see it too late.

It's so messy and poorly laid out and the subscriptions don't help at all.

At least send what I subscribe to to my main inbox please!!! common sense!

- More improvements in analysis tool ( more like expert, but not too complicate, just more options )

- better animations

- refund of training

- More improvements in analysis tool ( more like expert, but not too complicate, just more options )

- better animations

- refund of training

refund of training????

defenders kicking the ball out for throw-ins rather than corners when not under pressure.

I dont know if I read it wrong, but isnt it better to kick it out for a throw in rather than conceding a corner??

Seriously though, I think they should remove the 3D match engine for next year. Its really spoilt it for me. Thats another reason Im still playing FM08 right now.

Im so sure alot of these new features has compromised the match engine in some way or another. FM08 match engine is the king.

Well, I disagree with you. Keeping the 3D match engine adds excitement to the game and it can only get better. Remember that this is SI's 2nd attempt at this and they would definitely improve this aspect of the game as the years roll by!

I think he meant that he wants to see them kicking the ball out for throw ins rather than corners.

The main problem with defenders though is that they're so slow to react to a ball played behind them or over them. They run sideways or just stand still and let the striker get in front of them.

I don't understand complaining about the 3d view either. You can switch back to 2d any time you like. And it does not have an effect on the match engine at all - the match engine drives the view, not the other way around. You get the same game whether you watch in 2d/3d or just commentary!

Defending please.

Defenders are so slow to react to balls played behind them./ They just stand still for a second and then try to catch up to the striker.

They also don't cover properly at all. If a striker beats one defender the other one runs away from him half the time.

Definitely. Defenders are so stupid, it almost feels like FM08 which had the most horrible match engine of all time. Wild clearances to nowhere when they are under no pressure; no covering; they are totally confused by a loose ball and it's never the guy closest to it who goes to collect it; heading the ball to the opposition in 80% of the time... I could go on.

it is already a great game but International management must improve. Currently can't seem to even customise the internationsal squad screen to see the players club stats.

Player interaction takes up a large amount of a real managers time, but in the game I think the feature is underdeveloped.

That's another tiny little thing. Why when searching for players can I not look at their age?

I'd like to see 'without the ball' formations return, a defensive formation for when you haven't got the ball is useful and every team in football has one, the game has been stagnant for the last couple of years with no real useful features added to it, except for the 2D and 3D pitches, the training is just sliders, the defending is useless, the tackle count is wrong (defenders attempting 2 per game????), the marking is terrible, its as if SI have spent to much time on the attackive side of the game and not enough on the defensive. Signing players needs more options, I would also like to know how to pronounce some of the foreign players names that i've not heard of but have signed in the past (kept saying Bikeee instead of Beekay for Bikey of Reading!). Set piece creator would be good but Championship Manager had one this year and people exploited it and it wasn't very good. The 3D engine could have players doing fancy tricks aswell. But my main thing to be improved is the long shots ratio, i'm sick of conceding goals rom distance only to look at the players long shots attributes and seeing 3 or 4, he's rubbish at long shots so he shouldn't score from them!!!!!!! And the free kicks need fixing too, I have a player with 19 free kicks and hes scored 0 in 2 seasons, why?, yet I concede them from players with 9 or 10, fix it!!!!

Player interaction takes up a large amount of a real managers time, but in the game I think the feature is underdeveloped.

I agree with this. Communication with players seems like an afterthought. FM is a bit of a tactical simulator more than a management simulator for this very reason.

Real managers communicate with their staff every day on the training field. Why can we not have the option to actually train people?

We already have 'shouts', we can organise drills in training and watch them on the engine, which gives us a better idea of how the team/player is performing in the run up to matches. Matches in football are like big events that you spend all week building up to. In FM, they are just a click away.

If someone can come up with a single playability or programming reason for this not to happen, I'll happily shut up

Obviously, provide an option to turn it off, but the idea is sound. Also, perhaps it would balance the game more on a longitude scale as you could actually do one training session every real day and still feel like you are progressing, which adds to the realism.

The idea isn't exactly fully developed, but it's a good enough starting point.

Can't you just enjoy football manager 2010?

More player interaction would be a tedious task, I reckon. For FM11 just make sure there's less 'clicks' to do certain things. Some options are buried deep behind menus.

We are enjoying FM2010 and expecting more and more for FM2011.

Nothing wrong in my opinon.

Can't you just enjoy football manager 2010?

I agree with this. Communication with players seems like an afterthought. FM is a bit of a tactical simulator more than a management simulator for this very reason.

Real managers communicate with their staff every day on the training field. Why can we not have the option to actually train people?

We already have 'shouts', we can organise drills in training and watch them on the engine, which gives us a better idea of how the team/player is performing in the run up to matches. Matches in football are like big events that you spend all week building up to. In FM, they are just a click away.

If someone can come up with a single playability or programming reason for this not to happen, I'll happily shut up

Obviously, provide an option to turn it off, but the idea is sound. Also, perhaps it would balance the game more on a longitude scale as you could actually do one training session every real day and still feel like you are progressing, which adds to the realism.

The idea isn't exactly fully developed, but it's a good enough starting point.

I think if we get to that point, it will takes weeks to get through a single season. There is such thing as too in depth.

More player interaction would be a tedious task, I reckon. For FM11 just make sure there's less 'clicks' to do certain things. Some options are buried deep behind menus.

Agree with this too. To get a scout report from your assistant manager you have to hover over 4 different menus.

I'm sure I used to be able to do that in two clicks in FM07.

We are enjoying FM2010 and expecting more and more for FM2011.

Nothing wrong in my opinon.

Yes, I too am expecting more frrom FM 2011. With a couple of new playable leagues being created in the Editor' forum, will SI use this as a reference and create new playable leagues that comes automatically with the game? Or do we still need to create new leagues by ourselves when FM 2011 comes out? Only time will tell!

Training has been crying out for a fix for years.

One small good feature would be, when a big club buy a talented youngster, the sellers can ask if they can have that player on a loan for a season. This type of deal happened with Kyle Walker who was at Sheffield United, but moved to Tottenham, and went back on loan at Sheffield.

This type of deal would have happened if Aaron Ramsey took the choice of signing for Man U instead of Arsenal.

Its only a minor request but I want a red beachball included in the game from now on. It might be a 1 billion in one chance of it interferring with play but it should be included.

This made me laugh, though can you imagine losing a game if that was actually included and it happened to you? Now I actually feel bad for Rafa and I'm a United fan!

I fully agree there are alot of things that need improving etc, with this game but to be honest...

Can't you just enjoy any given football manager game in general?

I have to semi-disagree with the OP. Training probably needs a revamp, but unlike most people I really badly hope it's not made more involving. Training bores the bejeebies out of me, the first thing I do when I start a game is set training schedules and then never think about training ever again (exception to assigning new players). I would HATE the idea of a new training system which requires you to pay attention to it. I'm happy with training as it is.

I think if we get to that point, it will takes weeks to get through a single season. There is such thing as too in depth.

Which is why an option to turn it off can be included. Can you really have too much depth in a simulator?

Anyway, I stand by my point that football management is very much about the training field and setting specific goals/guidelines approaching a game. What we currently have is a tactical simulator, where you pit your tactical wits against the (impressive) AI in the engine, across 90 minutes. There is SO much more to football than the 90 minutes.

Can you imagine moving the current situation in FM in to the real world? Only allowed to set guidelines for training, only set the tactic and shout specific things to the whole team?

On another note, shouting to specific players would be nice.

Which is why an option to turn it off can be included. Can you really have too much depth in a simulator?

Anyway, I stand by my point that football management is very much about the training field and setting specific goals/guidelines approaching a game. What we currently have is a tactical simulator, where you pit your tactical wits against the (impressive) AI in the engine, across 90 minutes. There is SO much more to football than the 90 minutes.

Can you imagine moving the current situation in FM in to the real world? Only allowed to set guidelines for training, only set the tactic and shout specific things to the whole team?

On another note, shouting to specific players would be nice.

Can you imagine RL managers only being able to do their job for a few hours a week in the evenings, after they get back from their "real job"?

There IS such thing as too much depth in a simulator...Creating this much depth may make it fantastic for you but will drive away the majority of people who play this game casually. If that happens, SI loses their profits and FM doesn't become a "hardcore-only" game like some people here want, it just ceases to exist.

Good point, but surely the option to turn off would negate that?

Mind you, the 'too much depth' argument has been raging since CM4 and increasing levels of depth continue to be added.

Maybe not a full 'game like' simulation of each training session then, but if the importance was shifted to training from point-and-click tactics then surely it would increase the RPG aspects of the game?

My team doesn't really feel like 'my' team, increased interactions with players would probably help that somewhat and it will give a sense of accomplishment, especially when bringing through youth talent.

The frontscreen UI is way too cluttered, the info seems all over the place.

I hope they clean it up and make it look/feel slicker in FM11

Defending please.

Defenders are so slow to react to balls played behind them./ They just stand still for a second and then try to catch up to the striker.

They also don't cover properly at all. If a striker beats one defender the other one runs away from him half the time.

This is already being looked at for this years game.

- Training. I think training can be done better. You have to know when you´re training your players too much or not enough. If you give them too heavy training schedules along with too much first-team games. You might be too soft on them. I never have any feedback from my coaches (still playing FM09 though) so it´s a bit hit and miss, the training. More feedback (ie. what can my winger improve on in order to be able to compete at current level) from coaches would be a start.

- Set-pieces tactics. Would be a very nice addition to the game. I think it´s getting more and more important in football. FM should reflect the importance of set-pieces in today´s game in their (our) game.

- More interaction between staff. Should always be something SI should concentrate on.

Maybe not a full 'game like' simulation of each training session then, but if the importance was shifted to training from point-and-click tactics then surely it would increase the RPG aspects of the game?

My team doesn't really feel like 'my' team, increased interactions with players would probably help that somewhat and it will give a sense of accomplishment, especially when bringing through youth talent.

I don't know, and frankly (I may be wrong) I'm not convinced that training is as important as you make out. I think matchday tactics and changes mean a lot. For sure, things like new ways to work freekicks, and learning passing triangles are all training-based things, but I'm not convinced that there would be enough to this to keep going for a year. I guess I can kind of see how it would work, but I rather feel that this would force the game engine to dictate that players could only learn one or two things at a time - I can't see any other way developed training could work. It'll be fine when after half a season your squad learns that killer passing technique to a tee, but when you realise that they've entirely stopped making progress at set pieces, I think it will come back to bite. In order to keep your squad's training improving across the board, and preventing players from stagnating, you'd have to concentrate so hard on varying your training to the right level that it would essentially require a full-time commitment. The other thing is that I think this focus on training would necessarily involve making tactics more rigid and harder to alter in the middle of a match, or else people would complain that training isn't making any difference and games are still only won or lost in the technical box. Considering how much people are already complaining that they think their teams don't react well enough to changes in tactics, I'd say this would make this idea very unpopular.

I think it would just be too much, even for some people clamouring for more interaction, and it would be intolerably dull for those not seeking more interaction, such as myself. I mean, for sure you could have an option to "deactivate" this setting, but I'd raise two points with that - one is that SI don't have a track record for providing options you can turn off, only ones you can leave on default. Two is that when you leave things on default, or opt-out of them, then it inevitably means that the default setting is nowhere near as good as actually taking part. In short, for those of us who didn't want to get so involved, unless we were tactical geniuses it would be almost the same as accepting a 10-point penalty at the start of the season, in terms of lost points due to "not being hardcore enough".

On top of this, I do wonder why you say the team doesn't feel like it's yours. Personally I'd have to say that short of a Wenger/Alex Ferguson manager who remains at a club for years upon years, no real life manager feels like a team is "theirs", either. You can't make a team "yours" unless you've been with the players for their entire careers. That just doesn't happen in football very often. Look at all the times the press talks about managers having to work with "their predecessor's team". For those who argue for a full-realism simulator, perhaps we shouldn't be allowed to feel like the team is ours?

I think training does need a massive overhaul - including the creation of set plays. Of course some people disagree - and so they should, everyone plays the game differently and focuses on different things - and for them there should be the option of 'assistant manager/coach handles training'.

I don't know, and frankly (I may be wrong) I'm not convinced that training is as important as you make out. I think matchday tactics and changes mean a lot.

I might be wrong here. My importance placed on training comes from reading a lot of different managers autobiographies, and speaking to coaches, so it isn't exactly the best measure. Alex Ferguson has said in the past that the only thing that keeps him in the United job is missing the training ground. Strachan also preached on the importance, as did Bobby Robson. On a side note, anyone with a keen interest in footy should pick up Robson's book.

For sure, things like new ways to work freekicks, and learning passing triangles are all training-based things, but I'm not convinced that there would be enough to this to keep going for a year. I guess I can kind of see how it would work, but I rather feel that this would force the game engine to dictate that players could only learn one or two things at a time - I can't see any other way developed training could work. It'll be fine when after half a season your squad learns that killer passing technique to a tee, but when you realise that they've entirely stopped making progress at set pieces, I think it will come back to bite. In order to keep your squad's training improving across the board, and preventing players from stagnating, you'd have to concentrate so hard on varying your training to the right level that it would essentially require a full-time commitment.

Well, obviously it would be a timetable, split into however many (lets say 3 for arguments sake) sections every day. You could assign stuff for just attackers, just defenders, just certain players, etc. If you are going to play against a top side, perhaps you need to forego the attacking training this week and work on pressing, etc. Also, the players wouldn't stagnate as the training differs depending on the next opposition.

The other thing is that I think this focus on training would necessarily involve making tactics more rigid and harder to alter in the middle of a match, or else people would complain that training isn't making any difference and games are still only won or lost in the technical box. Considering how much people are already complaining that they think their teams don't react well enough to changes in tactics, I'd say this would make this idea very unpopular.

A fair point this. I think this is up to the way that SI actually reflect the ideas in the code more than any ideas we can propose.

I think it would just be too much, even for some people clamouring for more interaction, and it would be intolerably dull for those not seeking more interaction, such as myself. I mean, for sure you could have an option to "deactivate" this setting, but I'd raise two points with that - one is that SI don't have a track record for providing options you can turn off, only ones you can leave on default. Two is that when you leave things on default, or opt-out of them, then it inevitably means that the default setting is nowhere near as good as actually taking part. In short, for those of us who didn't want to get so involved, unless we were tactical geniuses it would be almost the same as accepting a 10-point penalty at the start of the season, in terms of lost points due to "not being hardcore enough".

Again, another good point and another one for SI.

On top of this, I do wonder why you say the team doesn't feel like it's yours. Personally I'd have to say that short of a Wenger/Alex Ferguson manager who remains at a club for years upon years, no real life manager feels like a team is "theirs", either. You can't make a team "yours" unless you've been with the players for their entire careers. That just doesn't happen in football very often. Look at all the times the press talks about managers having to work with "their predecessor's team". For those who argue for a full-realism simulator, perhaps we shouldn't be allowed to feel like the team is ours?

Perhaps I expressed myself incorrectly. I meant that due to the very low levels of interaction between the manager and the players, it's hard to instill a certain philosophy upon them. Currently, it is too black and white. You either criticise a player or praise him when interacting. Just been able to have a quiet word with him advising him over certain actions (like speaking out in the press) would be nice.

I realise that this is asking a huge amount and maybe plumbing depths that we don't need to go, yet there isn't really a connection between you and the players. SI need to read some David Freeman, or even Dave Perry.

Players running after the ball when it's cleared, rather than either running away from it, or waiting for it to come to them and risk losing possession.

Substitutions to occur the next time the ball goes out of play/a goal is scored, rather than 2-3mins later.

Players not staying relatively static after a tackle for no real reason when they should be running around again straight away.

Keepers coming for the ball when it's played through and the defender is nowhere near, but the keeper is easily capable of getting it but doesn't move.

Penalties not just being blasted straight down the middle most of the time.

More penalties being saved but not held so a chance for rebounds.

Better refereeing decisions/consistency especially regarding red cards.

Defenders/other players running at normal speed before the ball reaches them or another player, rather than strolling until someone gets the ball (usually a striker) and then deciding they ought to run properly.

It should be easier to get staff when you are managing "smaller nations" like Libya.

Here are my few things:

As many stated above, a new training system. I currently like the training system but I think it needs added depth. I like the idea of an overall training schedule but what about this. Every week or so you have the option to emphasize what a certain player should be working on.

For example, if your defender has a terrible match against playing through balls, then have him focus on that training. Surely managers today go up to player A and say " you didnt do so well with this, you should work on it during training ".

Second at the beginning of the season, there should be a "training camp". Obviously training is more intense, and occurs much more then during the season. My idea would to offer double sessions a day, then the next day just one session. You should be able to plan out a 3 week schedule to work on certain areas of the club. Even if you are a new coach, a few sessions devoted to your new tactics, OR even a returning manager wanting to spice things up, but the idea of straight training sessions to tactics will help curve the time of players getting used to your tactics.

Third, within the training, which I REALLY REALLY want, is updates from your coaches for the entire season, who is training well, who isn't, who should get a chance to prove themselves, basically weekly or bi-weekly training reports. THIS WOULD BE KEY SI!!! ((IF THIS IS THE ONLY THING YOU DO FOR FM 11 I'LL BUY FM FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE EVERY YEAR)) If I have a youngester who is playing well in reserve matches and preforming well in training then a coach should tell he should get a chance to play. I can only go so far into reading reserve match reports, but the "doing well in training" would help me pick a better starting 11. Also I could put more emphasis to those players begging for playing time to impress me during training, and actually have a coach or myself look at their training report to see if they should start or not.

- Next is the scouting system. This isnt that big of a deal, but I would like to see an improvement on the academy system as well. Maybe tell your academy head to emphasis on strikers, or defenders, or players to fit for your league, or simply say "produce as many good players as possible" over " Produce stars" each could have its pros and cons

As for scouting, I just feel is bland, I like it, but I could do with more. Its like cce cream, I am happy with the ice cream, but I sure could use some chocolate (yes I was hungry when I posted this!) Setting up foreign academies, or winter training grounds. More depth is good.

My third and less important thing, if SI really wanted to include depth into the football aspect of real life, is to add charity events sponsored by the club, and ask players to go. Its done in real life so why not. Also a cool feature would be to pick which kit you should wear, and at the beginning of the season, if your kit sponsorship is over, why not have a feature to change your kit up alittle bit, to produce more revenue within the club. For example, if you are a manager of a lower teir club and you fought your way up to the top league in which ever country you choose, then you redesign your kit to show you are here to belong. I think it could be cool, but it is not need.

Oh and League rep variations, which is easier said then done.

Can't you just enjoy football manager 2010?

...Can you really have too much depth in a simulator?...

Of course you can - why do you think that there's never been a flight simulator that requires you to fire up the computer an hour and a half before you you play, to make sure you log your flight plan, start/end point, planned route and altitudes in advance of the air traffic control requirements? the answer is obvious: because it takes it too far.

A computer game 'simulation' is clearly not actually a simulation - people get het up about 'realism' in FM, when in fact it is a a game: at best it is a game/simulator.

Some things work in this merger of game/simulation - some don't. From what we've seen so far, press conferences in particular do not work in a game/simulation in terms of enjoyment. I fully appreciate that they may not be enjoyable IRL either, but this is where the 'game/simulator' needs to veer away from realisty - a game has to be fun, and tbh the more 'in-depth' CM/FM has become, the less fun it has become.

The tactics module this year has taken some of the tedium out of the game, please for the love of god don't make training, interaction with players, etc another daily event/chore.

improve the press conference feature also, needs to have lots of questions and answers,