In the Details: Stories and Theories towards Enjoying FM

As some of you are by not doubt aware, I staunchly defend FM against some of its less well thought through criticisms. For a change, I'm going to talk about my experiences with my current save which might hopefully open a few eyes here and there.

Because I am so involved with the Tactical Creator and Beta Testing, it is rare for me to get much time to actually play FM for sheer enjoyment nowadays. Even when I do get the time to do so, it is a bit of a Busman's Holiday for me, partly because of my involvement with the TC and partly because of my full time job in management research. As such, when something does happen that I appreciate, I tend to try and eke out the full enjoyment possible.

In my current save, I started my career with Stalybridge Celtic, grabbing promotion at the first attempt and challenging for the BSP the season after. Given I was Beta testing, I started with a pro-footballer reputation so the players would behave themselves for when I was looking at the ME, which gave me somewhat of an advantage. Just after the 3rd round of the FA Cup at my second season at Stalybridge I was approached by Watford, who were languishing at the foot of the Championship with no money, a poor squad and shot morale. Confident of my ability of saving them, I decided to accept the job.

Keeping Watford up that season was the biggest challenge of my FM career. Three of my first four matches were away against the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed teams, all of which I lost, plunging me deeper into trouble and further damaging morale. Many of the squad disliked each other and quickly took a dislike to me. Over half of my staring eleven wanted to leave. I managed to snag a Danish winger on deadline day with the little money I had, which gave me at least some quality on the left flank and set about trying to survive.

I put every ounce of knowledge I had into trying to survive that season. However, the lack of player quality and shot morale kept on killing me. I drew games I dominated, either failing to score or conceding soft equalisers when I did. I played well away only to lose to late kick in the teeth winners, often from set pieces. Alongside this, I sometimes picked up a win and sometimes got completely battered. With three matches to go, I was still dead last. However, two of these games were against the teams in second and fourth last positions, with the third and last against a team in a safe mid-table position. The way the other fixtures worked out meant I still had my destiny in my own hands.

I doubt I have ever prepared as meticulously as I did for those last three matches. I checked out their defences and decided my tall but slow forward would be muscled out of the game and provide no threat, so I picked my speedy youngster who had hardly scored all season. Although still providing no physical presence, he would cause the defences problems with his speed.

The opening match saw him speed through onto a through ball late in the first half only to be hauled down in the penalty area, leading to a red card and a penalty, which he converted himself. Form thereon in I played keep ball and comfortably saw out the 1-0 victory. The second match was the tricky one, being away against the fourth bottom side in which a draw would pretty much kill my survival chances off. Not surprisingly, it was dour and dirty, with neither side taking any risks. However, with time added on being played, the speedy forward latched onto a punted clearance, outpaced the cover and coolly slotted home to give me a vital victory that took me out of the bottom three for the first time since I took over.

I still needed to win my last match to be sure of safety. In the first half that looked a certainty as my team outplayed the opposition from beginning to end, taking a deserved 1-0 lead into the break. However, midway through the second half, the 'soft goal from set pieces' weakness came back to hit me again and we conceded. A quick glance at the table saw that I had dropped back into the bottom three. Throwing caution to the wind, I went overload. Nothing. No chances, no highlights. The nerves had struck my side and relegation looked inevitable.

After 20 minutes of chanceless football and with the match once again entering time added on, I finally won a corner. My 36-year old playmaker, playing his last ever match before retirement, strode up to take it. As it swung to the near post I could see none of my players were going to get there and it would be headed clear. However, the opposing defender allowed it to glance off his head into the side of his teammate and then into the goal. A totally undeserved last minute own goal out of the blue. I quickly shut up shop and saw out the win.

The next two seasons saw me turn Watford from relegation battlers to champions, winning the Championship by a country mile in my third season as manager by using a combination of loans, frees and transfer listed players. As I was preparing for the Premiership, I was offered a job by the Argentinian side, San Lorenzo de Almagro. Never having managed in Argentina before and frustrated by Watford's board, I decided to take up the position. For realism's sake, I tend to take jobs with big wage increases, which tipped the balance in this case.

For those of you who haven't played in Argentina, the season is split into two stages, the Opening and Closing stage. The Opening Stage is paralleled by the Copa Sudamericana, the latter by the Copa de Libertadores. When I took over, San Lorenzo had just come off winning the previous two stages of the Argentinian league. Although they were missing the really good players of some other teams, they had a very experienced spine that had played together for years and loved the club. Managing was easy and I quickly added a third stage win and the Copa Sudamericana to their trophy cabinet.

However, the second half of the opening season began to offer some interesting challenges as the team began to break up. My right winger was sold under me by my board. My centre forward asked to be transferred as he wanted a new challenge. My four midfielders (aged 31, 32, 33, 35) who rotated to form a three man midfield started to drop in stamina. For the first half of the season, it was easy to rotate them and see out matches. However, as they begin to decline physically, the harsher conditions and rapid match turnover began to ask serious questions of them. I found that if I hadn't made games secure after 60 minutes, my midfield, previously so dominant, would begin to get overrun. I began to concede late goals and drop points I would never have done first half of the season. I still came second in the Closing Stage, and first overall, but was dumped out of the Copa de Libertadores at the quarter final stage and was totally outclassed in the end of season Recoba.

Going into the pre-season of my current season, I realised I had to change things around if I were to compete. I spent a large chunk of my budget on securing a replacement DMC and an extra DC to try and bolster the defence. I replaced the right winger with a like for like player and picked up a creative MC, who had been released because of a cruciate injury, on a free. I also brought in a fair amount of cheap but raw talent to act as cover, expecting to bring them on to replace tired legs later in the game.

My pre-season back room meeting then provided me with a bit of a shock. I was told our lack of height would be a problem. Looking through the starting eleven, I could see why. My midfield and right winger were all tiny. Up until then, I'd been using my standard free kick/corner set up. Seeing the jumping issues, I switched things around and kept the small guys back.

As I hit the start of the season, my first serious injury crisis of my save hit. My starting keeper, DCR, DMC, AMR & AML all picked up injuries, some of which had 2-3 months recovery prognoses. Furthermore, the cruciate injury still hadn't fully healed and my back up 18-year old DMC got injured in a reserve game. Suddenly, I was having to play 16-year olds in key positions and backup/out of position players on both flanks. I struggled through the opening two games, with my new set piece routine paying dividends. However, the third game, at home against Velez, saw me being completely outplayed. I lost 2-0 and was lucky it wasn't five. I was never in it.

I bounced back in my next game through two set piece goals and am in 5th. I now find myself in a situation where I cannot win games through outfield dominance as my squad is a combination of too old, too raw, not talented enough or talented but not gelled. My set piece routines need to be excellent as I will not score so many from outfield moves. I have to be more cautious tactically as my midfield will not provide the possession and cutting edge of the previous season.

My save has seen me dominating through having the complete respect of my players (Stalybridge), struggling when not having it (Watford: 1st season), developing a side in my own image (Watford: 2nd and 3rd seasons), dominating with a side that knew each other inside out and barely needed me (San Lorenzo: 1st Stage), trying to keep an ageing side performing (San Lorenzo: 2nd Stage) and rebuilding a team (San Lorenzo: current). Each challenge provides completely different man, motivational, strategic and tactical challenges. Each is fun in its own unique way.

In playing, I am not trying to develop a classic tactic that 'breaks' and 'outperforms' the ME, but only the creator settings and touchline shouts. The only exception is using the advanced options to set up set pieces that suit my players. Again, I am not trying to break the ME but employ realistic routines that get the best out of the players I have. When I win, bar perhaps the early San Lorenzo matches when I inherited a top side just after its peak, I know it is down to my strategic (squad management), tactical and motivational decisions. If I win it is because I deserved to. If I lose, it is my fault.

The way I play the game, I see all this information and detail. Partly it is my understanding of the ME and AI from Beta testing/designing the TC, partly it is down to my background in management research. Because I see it, the game is incredibly rewarding. Good decisions bring good results. Bad ones disaster. However, I believe I only see it all because of my deep involvement in the game and real life management. Many forum discussions and posters fail to capture the depth and context of the game, which is where frustration lies.

Perhaps some of the motivational, strategic and tactical management elements need to be a little more specific so others might better appreciate their intricacies? Perhaps it would make things too in your face? I'm not sure.

What I am sure of is how much I am enjoying the game playing in this manner. Perhaps it is just me and my managerial/tactical geekiness, or perhaps this is how the game could be if all its elements were more explicit and easier to understand. Whatever the answer, I'm hoping this post might generate some interesting discussion about elements that people like/dislike/miss/are aware of/work/don't work. If not, then at the very least I hope you enjoyed the story of my save

Thats a fantastic read

to add a little about my appraoch to the game: i get most of my enjoyment from building small lower division teams and launching them through the divisions to eventual success in europe, as that is where i tend to manage the most. i am not a manager for travelling from job to job, and in fact i think i have only ever accpeted one job when i have been managing another club in my entire fm history. i like to create sides that can attack with pace and incisive nature, playing down the flanks trying to get the ball forward quickly and keep the ball up there as much as possible. i believe firmly in youth, but that philsophy is only applied in my games after i have cemented my position in the top league. up until that point i am very much reliant on free transfers, loans, and the occassional small money signing, funding permitted. in fact, i would go as far as saying i enjoy playing with no transfer fund as it adds something to the game and the problem of getting a good squad. overall its an enjoyable way to play the game, and eventually i end up with a young team that can be halted by nooone.

thats a fantastic read, and i think im going to start a new long term game because of it! I must admit, i often pick top drawer teams due to impatience, and also, due to a lack of free time, iv not actually managed to complete a full season on fm10 yet before boredom gets the better of me, due to i think, the teams i pick. Im definantly going to have a go now though, and try and emulate your journey!

This was an interesting read.

Thats a fantastic read

to add a little about my appraoch to the game: i get most of my enjoyment from building small lower division teams and launching them through the divisions to eventual success in europe, as that is where i tend to manage the most. i am not a manager for travelling from job to job, and in fact i think i have only ever accpeted one job when i have been managing another club in my entire fm history. i like to create sides that can attack with pace and incisive nature, playing down the flanks trying to get the ball forward quickly and keep the ball up there as much as possible. i believe firmly in youth, but that philsophy is only applied in my games after i have cemented my position in the top league. up until that point i am very much reliant on free transfers, loans, and the occassional small money signing, funding permitted. in fact, i would go as far as saying i enjoy playing with no transfer fund as it adds something to the game and the problem of getting a good squad. overall its an enjoyable way to play the game, and eventually i end up with a young team that can be halted by nooone.

Edle, I think we share quite similar ethos' when it comes to FM management. I like to stick with one club, normally one I support myself in real-life, and I dislike moving clubs, or taking up international positions. Also, I like getting players in on frees, it is extremely satisfying to sell a player for a large amount after paying nothing for him. Again, like you, I'm a fan of youthful attacking football, although I will sometimes sign an older player if I think he can do a decent job for me, and his wages are not too excessive.

I think the only difference is that you are better at it than I am, being that I have never taken any of my lower league teams into Europe, the best I have done is Chesterfield to the EPL on FM08.

thats a fantastic read, and i think im going to start a new long term game because of it! I must admit, i often pick top drawer teams due to impatience, and also, due to a lack of free time, iv not actually managed to complete a full season on fm10 yet before boredom gets the better of me, due to i think, the teams i pick. Im definantly going to have a go now though, and try and emulate your journey!

I know what you mean, sometimes I can just not get into a game, but I tend to just not play for a while and I usually miss it.

A great read!

I've started my save at FC Utrecht and am now at my second job in Milan.

A question though: how did you motivate your players at Watford, when you had to win the final three games?

A great read!

I've started my save at FC Utrecht and am now at my second job in Milan.

A question though: how did you motivate your players at Watford, when you had to win the final three games?

I tied to take the pressure off pre-match and was effusive with my praise afterwards. I also dropped the main trouble makers.

What a fantastic story! This is why I also think many FMers need to read more actual literature about the game and sports in general. I believe it can help to broaden an understanding of the game; which will help them play FM better. Good read.

A very interesting read wwfan and obviously some of the help you've given has helped SI along the way aswell.

However,

I feel that every year the game is getting too indepth if you know what I mean. I know it's meant to be a management simulation and that it tried to emulate how it would be if you were a manager of your favourite club. But is it tilting too much into that direction? After all it is meant to be a game and to be enjoyed. Now I'm not saying I'm having problems, in fact I enjoy taking over my fav club (Liverpool) and try to make them into the team they're meant to be. But I'm finding the game too cluttered. There's simply too much information that the layout had to be changed in order for it all to be fitted in. Of course I can ignore it, that's obvious. But I still feel it to be a little bit of annoyance. FM08 for me had satisfactory layout and enough info to succeed at the game (obviously apart from the press conference before kickoff which became too monotomous after a while).

I feel that if FM continues in this way were going to be bombarded by information and you have to ask yourself. Do we need it? Should it be a little less info and more focus on making tactics+training better?

Also I feel transfers in the new patch have slightly ruined it for me. For instance in a newly created game with Fulham I sold Stoor to Hull. And then the bought Ibarra and then another french right back (forget the name). So they have 3 natural right backs? Also Inter wanted to buy Dempsey off me? Is the buyng tendancy a little too high for the AI?

Great story, particularly when it involves managing Watford.

I've only recently started to put enough care and attention into thinking how I should go about approaching, and not neccesarily just winning, games. In the past I've found myself expecting my team to win every game, being overly harsh with my players, and expecting results that simply won't come - not easily at least. I've started to put minimising the oppositions risk above simply trying to play my own way, instead looking to counter their style of play and tactics and players to particular effect. Sadly my tactics don't quite work out the way I imagine them in my head, and I find myself drawn back to my over-expectant, short-tempered and naive former self.

It takes time to build a team at any level, and time to get something out of it, and I've found it's near impossible to take the same approach to any two different teams, even if you really want it to. Miracles can happen, but they're down to you to create a platform from which they can. The more I play, the more I see I'm trying to over-complicate things and see the need for me to make simple, realistic decisions, and make tweaks and changes that you'd expect from a real manager in a similar situation.

A great manager is, in my eyes, one who makes their players play to their potential, not neccessarily through tactical choices, but through motivation, respect, encouragement, persistance and belief. Tactics certainly help you get the best out of your players, but there's so much more to it. I really don't think I've phrased that well, but it's 3am and.. well that's an excuse enough.

I really disagree with the comments that the game is getting harder or too complicated, but rather that there are so many ways you can over-complicate things for yourself, and if you don't take a level headed and realistic approach to management, you're likely to get bombarded and overwhelmed.

I'm very tempted to have another go at saving Watford.

Edle, I think we share quite similar ethos' when it comes to FM management. I like to stick with one club, normally one I support myself in real-life, and I dislike moving clubs, or taking up international positions. Also, I like getting players in on frees, it is extremely satisfying to sell a player for a large amount after paying nothing for him. Again, like you, I'm a fan of youthful attacking football, although I will sometimes sign an older player if I think he can do a decent job for me, and his wages are not too excessive.

I think the only difference is that you are better at it than I am, being that I have never taken any of my lower league teams into Europe, the best I have done is Chesterfield to the EPL on FM08.

it very much sounds like we have similar appriaches to the game and its nice see another user who appreciates my style of play. overall i feel its very much as you have described - the emphasis is on youth but of course that doesnt rule out the possibility of slighlty older players, especially if i feel they can contribute to the team and then be sold for a profit! that is perhaps an understated area of the game, but its important to remember. books must be balanced and there is nothing more intriguing than working out not only which players will be good for your club in a footballing sense, but also in a money value sense. this is why i prefer a long term game where i can sit back and watch the club develop from potential bankruptcy to higher things and a stable income. its very enjoyable over all.

i would not say i was a better player however. i do though have a lot of experience in lifting small clubs from nothing to higher up as these games are the mainstay of my enjoyment from the game as a whole. i tend to start by using a big club to get a feel for the game. but i often get bored quickly of these games as they dont appeal to me. when this happens it is time to start the hike through the leagues. i tend to stick to mainland european leagues and have managed successfully in sweden, spain, portugal and italy, lifting teams from lower leagues to european competition at least. my preferred league is spain, probably as it is a nice place to play attractive attacking football, so i spend most of my time in there.

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=181980

Another reason to stay at a club for long and this is a Fantastic Read