Idea for Pre-Season

One feature of FM that has hardly evolved at all is pre-season. I find pre-season boring and frustrating at the moment. Frustating because it's an effort trying to schedule your fixtures in that having to scroll through each teams fixture list to see if they are available on that day and then the weird rejections off some clubs without a reason been stated. There is also an ocassional problem(possibly a bug) that when scheduling tours, you find most days unavailable for no apparent reason.

I think for future versions the board should arrange pre-season fixtures. The game could generate appropiate fixtures for each club depending on reputation. For example lucrative tours of foreign countries for the top European clubs, including showcase games and trophy's in America for example. We should also have to submit a squad for these tours(as should be the same for European matches) and maybe the board would insist that certain star players must play as part of the agreement.

I then think that other fixtures should be arranged for players who you have decided wont play on the foreign tour(including reserve players) and you can assign your assistant/coach to take control of those games.

In brief:

-Pre-season fixtures generated by the game for each club depending on reputation

-At the beginning of pre-season we could get a news item from the board telling us of our pre-season schedule, including any rules for tours/tournaments (ie format, if certain players must play, reasons for the tour)

-A few days before a foreign tour/tournament starts we should have to submit a squad(lets say max. 26)

-Home games or mini tour to small european countries for remaning squad(including reserves. We could assign a coach(es), physio etc for those games.

-Maybe a nice feature at the end of pre-season could be a report from your board informing you of the success of the trip finacially.

I think it's definitly an area with huge room for improvement in terms of both reality and enjoyment. Im sure irl, the board are the ones who arrange pre-season matches, particulary in modern football with the money that can be generated.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks

One feature of FM that has hardly evolved at all is pre-season. I find pre-season boring and frustrating at the moment. Frustating because it's an effort trying to schedule your fixtures in that having to scroll through each teams fixture list to see if they are available on that day and then the weird rejections off some clubs without a reason been stated. There is also an ocassional problem(possibly a bug) that when scheduling tours, you find most days unavailable for no apparent reason.

I think for future versions the board should arrange pre-season fixtures. The game could generate appropiate fixtures for each club depending on reputation. For example lucrative tours of foreign countries for the top European clubs, including showcase games and trophy's in America for example. We should also have to submit a squad for these tours(as should be the same for European matches) and maybe the board would insist that certain star players must play as part of the agreement.

I then think that other fixtures should be arranged for players who you have decided wont play on the foreign tour(including reserve players) and you can assign your assistant/coach to take control of those games.

In brief:

-Pre-season fixtures generated by the game for each club depending on reputation

-At the beginning of pre-season we could get a news item from the board telling us of our pre-season schedule, including any rules for tours/tournaments (ie format, if certain players must play, reasons for the tour)

-A few days before a foreign tour/tournament starts we should have to submit a squad(lets say max. 26)

-Home games or mini tour to small european countries for remaning squad(including reserves. We could assign a coach(es), physio etc for those games.

-Maybe a nice feature at the end of pre-season could be a report from your board informing you of the success of the trip finacially.

I think it's definitly an area with huge room for improvement in terms of both reality and enjoyment. Im sure irl, the board are the ones who arrange pre-season matches, particulary in modern football with the money that can be generated.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks

Definately something in this, because I too find pre season very boring. Only problem is, I don't know if i'd want to be forced to take notice of pre season rather than sort out my summer transfers.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Nomis07:

Definately something in this, because I too find pre season very boring. Only problem is, I don't know if i'd want to be forced to take notice of pre season rather than sort out my summer transfers. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not going to make much difference regarding your transfers, all that will be different is a few more news items. If anything you dont have to spend a few days arranging fixtures(I know the assistant can do it but never works out great in terms of how many games and opposition)

Yeah but if it remains as is i.e. the board couldn't care less what happens in pre season, I can leave my Ass Man in charge safe in the knowledge that it doesn't really matter. If there is any way that the board could frown upon pre season form then I would feel like I had to participate in the matches and then that would eat into my transfer dealings, which I need to concentrate on lol.

Don't get me wrong, it is a good idea and something I think a lot of people would love, but I just don't know if I want to add pre season to the list of things that could affect my position with the board.

Maybe it will add a bit of time to your pre-season as you spend longer on tactics etc but that wont affect your transfers! Just taking each game as a league game if you like, but that wont change anything in between matches.

By the way although the board may say whether or not they were happy with the performances during pre-season, it should in no way put your job in jeopardy or change their confidence in you as would be the case irl

Aye, organising pre-season fixtures is a right pain in the game as it stands at the moment. Only once since FM05 have I successfully managed to arrange a pre-season cup.

Perhaps you could have something like the job centre, where you announce that you're looking to have a cup competition and any interested teams can apply for one of the places.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by markrae1:

Aye, organising pre-season fixtures is a right pain in the game as it stands at the moment. Only once since FM05 have I successfully managed to arrange a pre-season cup.

Perhaps you could have something like the job centre, where you announce that you're looking to have a cup competition and any interested teams can apply for one of the places. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah I know what you are saying but it's not realistic as that does not happen irl. Would be a step in the right direction but I really think the game should generate pre-season for us

I've always liked the pre season as it gives me a chance to solely focus on improving my squad, no other distractions.

I do like the idea of a money spinning foreign tour though. Its something most clubs do.

i dont think it should generate, not at all, why take the choice out, i think it should just be made easier,

-a search function, showing whoese available that day and maybe a filter to put specific things in.

or like the feeder club thing the board could get some and you say what schedule you want, or maybe the board asks if you want testing games, easy games to raise morale or financely rewarding.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neilb242:

I've always liked the pre season as it gives me a chance to solely focus on improving my squad, no other distractions.

I do like the idea of a money spinning foreign tour though. Its something most clubs do. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I cant understand this focus thing! It's not going to make any difference to buying/selling players. The game moves at whatever speed you want it to. You could spend 30 mins if you like preparing bids etc without hitting continue. The mathces are not going to be crucial to win or anything, just like regular pre-season games!

I spend my pre season scouting players and watching their pre season matches, there is an element of focus because I don't like pre season distractions even if it is in between negotiations. TBH that's why I enjoy the German league so much, the winter break means I have a month and a half to deal only with future transfers and go scouting round Europe.

Also if I do want to play pre season myself I like to give new signings and youthplaeyrs the run out, being told who I have to play would disrupt this. If the board dictate a reason for the tour etc then they won't be too happy if you perform poorly because the Ass Man was in charge.

Some good ideas for pre season there. It has always been a boring time for me, waiting till the season starts.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Nomis07:

Also if I do want to play pre season myself I like to give new signings and youthplaeyrs the run out, being told who I have to play would disrupt this. If the board dictate a reason for the tour etc then they won't be too happy if you perform poorly because the Ass Man was in charge. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You may only get told one or two players to play and thats only for the top superstars! For example Man Utd may only be asked to play Cristiano Ronaldo in certain games becasue he is now recognised as a global superstar with a huge personal fan base.

Once the confidence issue is totally sorted then it would be great to have more importance for pre-season. Lets face it the game is too easy when managing one of the g14 teams! Again though as i've said before you will never be sacked for results in pre-season!!

You can still scout and that man! As I said the game moves as quick as you want it to! Spend an hour scouting before you click continue

I don't really see what the need is for this..

I said it was a good idea but just not for me. I apologise that I didn't lap it up like a cat with cream.

I guess my main worry is, why introduce the board to pre season and have them have any say in it and then have the board show no interest in it as it will have no bearing on your job?

Like I said before, it's a good idea but just not for me, but i'll hold my tongue in future as positives are a must for you by all accounts.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Nomis07:

I don't really see what the need is for this..

I said it was a good idea but just not for me. I apologise that I didn't lap it up like a cat with cream. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry I meant it in good taste, as a joke, was smiling as I put it in. It's like txt messages you can never be sure how the other person will read it!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I guess my main worry is, why introduce the board to pre season and have them have any say in it and then have the board show no interest in it as it will have no bearing on your job?

Like I said before, it's a good idea but just not for me, but i'll hold my tongue in future as positives are a must for you by all accounts. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The only reason a board irl have any interest in pre-season is financially, lets face it. The profit gained from participating, tv money and building up a fan base. Surely the same principal can be applied to FM?

Apologies for getting my knickers in a twist.

I wouldn't mind some more options in pre-season .. but I personally really enjoy setting up my pre-season schedule.

I love selling, as an LLM, a player to, say, Manchester United, and including an "Arrange Friendly" clause.

I like arranging little tours, and trying to balance the need for some big-revenue home games with some ties I can win for Morale. When I make it to Europe for the first time, I love scheduling some away European competition to make sure the club gets some European experience before it counts.

I don't have the scheduling frustrations that so many others report, because I always schedule my friendlies during the time between the last match of the season and the official "start of new season" date.

Like Nomis said, I want to play new signings and youth players; I like to tinker with tactics. I certainly don't want the board judging me on noncompetitive matches. They're harsh enough about the competitive ones, thank you!

All of that, I think, argues against pulling the pre-season out of my control and into the hands of the board. If you don't want to schedule matches, just have your Assistant do it.

Now, that said, I'd be happy to add a few options:

- More preseason tournaments; the ability to schedule the tourney so that matches are more than a day apart!

- Foreign tours such as the U.S. tour and the Southeast Asia tour with a number of big teams playing each other at foreign grounds

But, really, I am quite content with pre-season as it stands. I'd much rather SI focus their development efforts on other aspects of the game.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Amaroq:

When I make it to Europe for the first time, I love scheduling some away European competition to make sure the club gets some European experience before it counts. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Come on mate your kidding yourself if you think that makes any difference. If only the AI was that intelligent! Unfortunately it's a game after all!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Like Nomis said, I want to play new signings and youth players; I like to tinker with tactics. I certainly don't want the board judging me on noncompetitive matches. They're harsh enough about the competitive ones, thank you! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

As I said it may only be one member of your squad if he's a superstar like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Messi etc.. They wont dictate who you play!! 1 out of 26 isn't going to upset your tinkering!

Maybe focus is the wrong word then.

I just meant, i I'm trying to sign one or two players, pre-season is the time I can get that business done quickest, i.e not wait one or two matches for them to come to my club. I like to build my squad in the earlier part of pre season then use my friendlies to gel them into the team.

not really relevant but it doesnt deserve it own topic, i have a link with west brom, they have to give me a friendly very year, and they always arrange a friendly with the reserve team, i know they dont have to put out good players but fpr the sake of the tickets it should be west brom not west brom eserves, it just defeats the object of having the friendly , raises about a pound.

The thing is, Dar, its removing from our control something that some people enjoy controlling. I'd find the board control you're proposing no different than interfering chairmen: annoying, and just another way that the AI can mess up my well-laid plans.

Can you imagine all the threads moaning that their board have aranged stupid pre season matches.

Its not a bad idea, but there are more important things to improve first like board confidence for example.

This is one this that FIFA Manager 08 does pretty well, in my opinion. I especially like how when you go to schedule a pre-season friendly, it tells you who is available and you pick from the list rather than trial and error. I also like how you can do training trips, youth academies, etc. The rest of the game is lacking, but that is one part SI should take note of.

I enjoy pre-seasons.

I run between 5-6 leagues in that time. Half against walk over opposition to try out my youngsters to see if they are any good. The ones that shine make the break into my first team for the other leagues against challenging opposition to see if they can make the step up.

Then one final league against teams that will be knocking on ECC second round with ease to see if my tactics work with the players against good sides if not I change the tactics to suit them.

Then one whipping boy usually a L1 or L2 team before the start of the season to get moral up with a slaughtering.

I find pre-season boring, but I wouldn't want the board to set up my friendlies as I like to control who I play, as I generally like to play a good mix of sides.

The only idea I can think of to slightly lessen the boredom of pre-season is when you go to arrange a friendly the game tells you which teams are unavailable, or unwilling to play you on a particular day, as arranging friendlies is unnecessarily tedious at present.

i like to control who i play too, i do like the idea though of the board making suggestions though, i like the pre-season tournaments, and frankly the real seasonly tournaments are ignored. The Amsterdam Tournament is a modified league tournament, not a cup competition. It would be nice to be able to alter the rules and formats in a pre-season tournament.

Playing at a neutral venue on a tour would be nice, e.g. Arsenal going on a pre-season tour to Austria and having a training camp, then having friendlies against austrian sides and maybe then playing 1 or 2 other sides who are holding tours or training camps in austria too.

Also we could have it worked that we can apply to join a pre-season tournament like the Emirates Cup or Amsterdam Tournament rather than trying to find and approach people who reject for no clear reason. You could create a tournament and put up an "advert" so to speak for teams to join the pre-season tournament, and then negotiate a fee.

You could have your board maybe influencing certian friendlies that they refuse to sanction or demand you play depending on financial situation at the club.

Whilst I find pre-season tedious, I really don't like the idea of having all of the fixtures sorted out for us.

First of all, I want to be able to arrange friendlies myself so that I can space my fixtures to a schedule that suits me. I like to have three or four days between each match to give my players more recovery time. When starting a new game, it's not uncommon to have games just one or two days apart. If the game was scheduling fixtures close together, this would frustrate me immensley. I'd much rather do this myself.

The only things ideas I can honestly say I like in this thread is the idea to filter out teams unavaiable to play on certain dates, and the scheduling of cup and league competitions so that games aren't played the next day. Thats something I've been hoping to be improved for a long time.

Sorry to sound so negative, but I just don't think it would work.

It is already possible to have the game schedule a good pre-season fixture set based upon club reputations. In manager options just tick "Let assistant arrange pre-season friendlies".

I always let the ass man do it and I get tours, participation in tournies like the Amsterdam Tournament and just generally a fixture list that is similar to what a real pre-season set would be. The reserves also get games scheduled when playing with bigger clubs.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dar2000:

One feature of FM that has hardly evolved at all is pre-season. I find pre-season boring and frustrating at the moment. Frustating because it's an effort trying to schedule your fixtures in that having to scroll through each teams fixture list to see if they are available on that day and then the weird rejections off some clubs without a reason been stated. There is also an ocassional problem(possibly a bug) that when scheduling tours, you find most days unavailable for no apparent reason.

I think for future versions the board should arrange pre-season fixtures. The game could generate appropiate fixtures for each club depending on reputation. For example lucrative tours of foreign countries for the top European clubs, including showcase games and trophy's in America for example. We should also have to submit a squad for these tours(as should be the same for European matches) and maybe the board would insist that certain star players must play as part of the agreement.

I then think that other fixtures should be arranged for players who you have decided wont play on the foreign tour(including reserve players) and you can assign your assistant/coach to take control of those games.

In brief:

-Pre-season fixtures generated by the game for each club depending on reputation

-At the beginning of pre-season we could get a news item from the board telling us of our pre-season schedule, including any rules for tours/tournaments (ie format, if certain players must play, reasons for the tour)

-A few days before a foreign tour/tournament starts we should have to submit a squad(lets say max. 26)

-Home games or mini tour to small european countries for remaning squad(including reserves. We could assign a coach(es), physio etc for those games.

-Maybe a nice feature at the end of pre-season could be a report from your board informing you of the success of the trip finacially.

I think it's definitly an area with huge room for improvement in terms of both reality and enjoyment. Im sure irl, the board are the ones who arrange pre-season matches, particulary in modern football with the money that can be generated.

Please let me know what you think.

Thanks </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'll let you know what I think...

Your points are very observational, this is pretty much how it happens in real life.

Look at last seasons summer fixtures for, say, Liverpool;

A tournament in the Far-East was included amongst others.

I hardly think that was part of Rafa's plans, and I'm sure he would have preferred to avoid such venture.

But as it is, the board wish to expand Liverpools popularity over there and if Rafa doesn't like it, tough titty.

In fact, I very much doubt that managers at the top level have ANY say in the pre-season fixture list, as it is taken by the board as the perfect opportunity to make money by visiting far-off lands, thereby increasing the merchandising potential of the club in "un-tapped" places.

I've lost count of the amount of times I've started a new game with Liverpool and found that we're playing such Un-heard of teams like Reggiana in the Italian lower-leagues and other obscure teams. This doesn't happen in real life as there is no financial gain to be had from such matches.

In real life the managers concern is "Player Fitness", but this must be gained around the boards "Financial Fitness" which comes first and formost.

Excellent point, and another one for SI to ignore as they will likely prefer some other pointless "New Feature!!" like Personality-Gen or something useless like that.

it will make the game more realistic

I would like to be able to have a more than 4 match tour of a contry over more than 2 weeks.

I like the idea very much.

I always skip the friendlies and just use the time to make my transfers.

Very good idea and SI should consider it

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bongo-Bongo:

First of all, I want to be able to arrange friendlies myself so that I can space my fixtures to a schedule that suits me. I like to have three or four days between each match to give my players more recovery time. When starting a new game, it's not uncommon to have games just one or two days apart. If the game was scheduling fixtures close together, this would frustrate me immensley. I'd much rather do this myself. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

But what makes you think that the game couldn't be programmed to schedule friendlies sensibly. If Pre-season is going to be revamped I cant see the problem in making sure there are at least 2/3 days between games!

Great idea. Perhaps all you would need to do was tell the board how many games you want to play and how much space you would like in between games and perhaps if you were willing to play in a tournament.

Maybe make it an option so those who want to go more in depth can as usual.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TGSAFC:

Maybe make it an option so those who want to go more in depth can as usual. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah thats a good solution for those who want to arrange their own fixtures

I think pre-season is fine, though when I arrange one off friendlies or tournaments, I want the ability to play them at a neutral venue.

Arsenal for example played Gencerbili (something like that) from Turkey at the start of this season in Austria. And it could be implemented for internationals - Englands tour of USA had a game against Colombia in America a few years ago did it not?