Am I The Only One?

Well, i was sat here playing FM, as you do. Currently just started as Torquay on the Demo, it's a long story, i'm travelling at the moment and i can't seem to download it anywhere as Australia has so many restrictions.... anyway. Really enjoying the new version, love the 3D i think it really looks good and flows well. So here i am, playing my first season and things are ok, but i don't ever really do well in Fm, i never really win too many things, i've played all versions, i've won a few leagues , promotions , and a couple of cups, (NEVER THE LEAGUE CUP MIND? ) I usually start lower league and usually get jobs higher up , but i do usually get bored after around five or six seasons if i'm not doing anything much.....

Now, what i do is for a start is watch the extended highlights on all matches, sometimes with replays on important ones, i also make a point of watching any England games, most of my loaned players and any players winning their first caps... call it pride or a fatherly instict, but i like to see the little blighters getting their first taste of international football.

Is there anybody else out there that is not as successful as they should be?

I read all of the time that people are in 2028, their tenth season, or just retired and i'm thinking bloody hell, i've only just got through my first season in a couple of months. Do you think you miss things by playing fast? Am I propbably the only one that watches in great detail? Am i being too detailed with my tactics? I know you can download stuff to make life easier, but someone has come up with this before so i surely should be able to come up with a winning formula that takes my small Torquay squad to glory. Mid table it seems then for me..... Again!

I create my own tactics. And... I didn't change it much over 10 seasons tbh. I play games on extended and I watch replays of goals. Sometimes I even watch the analysis to figure out why someone is underperforming. I think the reason is that.. we are really playing alot. The season goes by pretty fast when you just press the space bar, watch the game, press the space bar, watch the game. It only gets slow when your team concedes twice more than anyone else and your defenders are crap and you desperately need new defenders and can't find any. Going through scout reports and reading them one by one takes up alot of time. Plus the fact you have to ward off advances to people trying to unsettle your players... what a headache.

What i do is start as Newcastle, support them you see, i also start as Fo.Ce.Vara in the Italian lower league (level 6), available now because of the wonderful editor, i stay as both of these for good, after 3 seasons or so i look for teams that have been relegated 2 leagues or more, for instance i have just taken over Coventry as they dropped to the Conference, i'll get them back to the Championship, resign and look for another team that has dropped 2 or more leagues, sometimes i end up with managing 5 teams or more at times.

Keeps the game fresh for me, you can keep your favourite team (Newcastle), try to bring through a lower league team (Fo.Ce.Vara) and give yourself a different challenge within your current game by getting relegated teams back to where they started.

I've played this since CM1 and this stops the game getting stagnant and boring for me anyhoo.

As for being successful, this version is definitely one for changing tactics more often (imho), twiddling i call it, this game isn't meant to be easy but can be frustrating, i would say my near 20 years of playing this makes me a bit of nerd, i know what i'm doing with some degree of confidence and knowledge but in this version i cannot get a straight forward 4-4-2 to work, at the moment i'm flying using 5-2-3, flat back 5, 2 in the middle and 3 up top, i hate the formation as it doesn't look right but its winning games and winning them well, but i just want a 4-4-2, two flying wingers a big lump for headers and a tevez type to link with the midfield, i've tried everything and just can't get it right, not going to give up though.

Thats my take on things mate

Don't forget that people are much nore inclined to talk about their achievements than their failures - especially on here. And you stop playing or get bored after 6 or so seasons - then theres your problem - the AI don't but good players that often - at the start they all have real life squads so they are very competitive but the further you get into your save the easier it becomes in my experiences.

Don't forget that people are much nore inclined to talk about their achievements than their failures - especially on here. And you stop playing or get bored after 6 or so seasons - then theres your problem - the AI don't but good players that often - at the start they all have real life squads so they are very competitive but the further you get into your save the easier it becomes in my experiences.

Absolutely spot on, it does indeed get easier, i think myself its the free transfer market as you get going, you can get some cracking players in to help you along.

This game is one for the long haul, as long as you can stick it out it does get better and better.

I play only one league game in real-life day.

In addition I manage reserves and U-19 teams as well. I like to see my youngsters develop and if I have talented player coming to 1st team, I've literally managed him for several seasons, I know how he plays, how he reacts to team talks etc.

I watch games on extended highlights

In second half of the season, when I've already played one game against my opponent, I watch first game goals again to relive it before starting new game.

I take my time to set up tactics, analyze opponent team, browse around and search for talented players, browse through transfer rumors etc.

I usually play only one long-term save in FM.

I know all my players strengths and weaknesses, most of their important attributes, PPM-s and stats (e.g. how many goals they have scored in the season).

But I'm not disappointed, because I like it that way. I enjoy process of management, not rushing through seasons and winning cups without even taking a moment and analyzing things.

Currently I just ended season 2010/2011 on my Ajax save. Probably I'll reach to 2013 or 2014 before FM2011 is released, although I can safely continue playing FM10 until patch 10.3 is out and I can start my big save with new version.

So, in conclusion, you're not alone.

But that's what they say - it's your game. Do whatever you want with it, as far as you enjoy it. That's what I like most about FM.