Time for pre-season to get a makeover?

We have had revamps of a number of areas in FM over the last few years such as training, tactics, media interaction and now transfers and dynamic league reputation for FM11. All designed to bring the game as close to real life as possible.

One area that has had very little work is Pre-season. The only change of significance in recent years is when organising a friendly, you can now view a list of clubs interested in a game, where as previously you had the tedius task of finding someone interested after many rejections. A bit like trying to pull in a nightclub A very smart addition to the game imo.

But if you compare the scale of pre-season to real life against other areas of the game, it falls way short in terms of substance and AI. For the 'elite' clubs irl, pre-season is no longer just about getting the first team fit for the new season. It's all about money spinning tours and tournaments, building their global brands in the far reaches of the globe etc.

I was wondering how this could be implemented into FM. How could FM best mirror real life pre-seaon? After all it's only the elite clubs that go on international tours and have their games televised. Would there need to be small additions to the game every year in order to build up the quality of pre-season or could it be completely overhauled for FM12?

The basic ideas that I think could really improve the realism of pre-season are listed below. Hopefully you could add some more or maybe elloborate on certain points. I use Man Utd in a few examples as I have followed them on pre-season tours in the past.

- Elite clubs (above reputation xxxx) should be involved in either a pre-season tour or tournament that is pre-set by your board. You are informed of the teams involved and what conditions are in place.

- Clubs from country 'A' should be able to play clubs from country 'B' in country 'C'. Real life example. Man Utd vs Bayern Munich in USA.

- Alot of media hype and interviews should surround this tour / tournament.

- Managers probably have far too much control in FM when arranging pre-season friendlies. Apart from the money spinning tours etc, maybe you could recommened teams to your chairman you would like to play. More internal interaction needed.

- Possibility of club teams playing international teams. I recall Man Utd playing Malasyia a few years ago.

- Naming a sqaud to take abroad. Naming 2 squads for preseason for 2 seperate tours. You often see a Man Utd XI maybe go to Scotland or Ireland that includes a mix of first teamers and reserves. That squad could be controlled by your assistant or designated coach who reports back to you.

It's a hard topic to word your points the way they are in your head. I hope you agree that pre-season needs to be moved along. Maybe if we can come up with some ideas FM12 is not an unrealistic possibility.

Thanks.

Fantastic post, lot of good ideas.. Would definitely improve the game.

Excellent ideas.

excellent ideas tho i wont complain if they dont get put into the game in a hurry. a lot of people wont play their pre season matches so they probably dont care who they play, thus its not over important to a lot of users

I think the ideas are good and would be more realistic, I think the downside is that pre-season for many can be tedious and boring so as a game player this added level of detail may not really help.

Always a balance with FM of being realistic but not over realistic. I love the realism of the game but it does always have to be balanced against the needs of the gamer.

Good ideas. All of them . I think the international one would be good. I remember many years ago. I'm sure Nottingham Forest played India at The City Ground.

I like the ideas, but it's another one of those things that really only applies to the bigger clubs.

The joy in pre-seasons for smaller clubs is in finding 'gems' - the players who are going to help you in the upcoming seasons. But given that FM is dominated by visible stats, giving trials to players is little more than scouting. Sadly thats the way FM is.

I think the ideas are good and would be more realistic, I think the downside is that pre-season for many can be tedious and boring so as a game player this added level of detail may not really help.

Always a balance with FM of being realistic but not over realistic. I love the realism of the game but it does always have to be balanced against the needs of the gamer.

I agree that pre-season at present can be tedious and boring, but I think if improved with proper tours and cups along with lot's of media and internal club interaction it could become a fantastic feature, especially if there is more money to be made

I agree. On a thread yesterday, I suggested having training camps abroad introduced into the game, which I think would also fit in nicely with your ideas.

I agree. On a thread yesterday, I suggested having training camps abroad introduced into the game, which I think would also fit in nicely with your ideas.

Yeah I think there could well be a place for them in the game, even mid-season if morale is low, the option of a team bonding session in a camp abroad could be a good addition to the game

Brilliant post. Good ideas all of them. Manchester United Youths played against India 2-3 yrs ago.

Great post. Everything on here I think is right, apart from the manager recommending the pre-season tour place, i think the manager has a big input in where the team goes.

You mentioned the pre-season tours, I think that training camps should also be taken into consideration. Teams go on camps all the time to work on the way they play with other countries facilities. I think there should be different levels n costs of facilities etc, this would be cool!

Yes as the above have said. Pre-season matches are not just about friendlies and match fitness. Some very good points!

good ideas. but i really couldnt care less about pre season to be honest. i never put anything into the games as i dont really gain anoything from them other than fitness plus im mostly wheeling and dealing at this point and for me these games only get in the way of what im trying to do. while your points are good and true to life, i wouldnt make a case for them being in the game.

I agree, the pre-season is a huge part of the game as it's a space of time where not much happens! It's easy to get bored where in real life it's really quite hectic, lots of transfers, scouting, friendlies, money spinners. The foreign matches and playing weaker international teams are quite common nowadays.

For me the pre-season (in game) is just a series of glorified training sessions. Really boring.

If I was forced by the board to play some kind of tournament, I wouldn't be pleased.

I like the OP's ideas but I know that a lot of people really hate pre season and for many any changes would go unnoticed or become a chore that they don't want to deal with. Maybe the OP could turn this thread into a poll?

I like the OP's ideas but I know that a lot of people really hate pre season and for many any changes would go unnoticed or become a chore that they don't want to deal with. Maybe the OP could turn this thread into a poll?

Done .

I think the sort of changes that Im suggesting we make could not possibly go unnoticed. I think these ideas would generate alot of interest and excitement from people who find pre-season boring. The option could still be there for people to let their assistant do all the team and media stuff why they concentrate on transfers

yep this would add another dimension to pre season and make it more rewarding? rather than just having the normal pre season games before a season

Wow...finally a game feature proposal that i can agree with . Also countries with harsh winter conditions have a mid season break as well so i think it would be great if the game would arrange some friendlies during the winter since currently you have to do it all manually.

Pre-season bores me.

I think when Man City got taken over, they had started affiliations with my team (Perth Glory), and had intentions of building state-of-the-art training facilities for us to use, and also for Man City. It never went ahead, but I’m pretty sure the idea was in the pipeline .. correct me if I’m wrong though.

edit: and when I say ‘us,’ I actually mean Perth Glory. I am a rubbish footballer ;D

Crackin' ideas OP!

You made some good points there. I'm interested to see what sort of changes SI makes when they decide to do so.

The XIs idea can be used for lower-league/non-league clubs as well. I know league clubs take a 'XI' to a non-league club (e.g. Charlton Athletic XI at Dulwich Hamlet).

I liked all of the ideas of the OP, but if they would be implemented it wouldn't make any difference to me, as I don't like playing a lot before the season starts, and I only keep 2-3 friendlies.

Good ideas, but not for my style of playing FM

I think the ideas above are excellent. Hopefully making such improvements would make pre season more entertaining, as like Crouchaldinho,I too find it very tedious

i like it. I usually have 5-9 pre-season games every year to get all the squad to fitness if im a big club

if im a small club, it could lead to an extra 100k meaning im out the red for a few months.

I personally don't play pre-season, but I do create annual money spinner games at Stuttgart, called the 'Mercedes-Benz Super League'. Not the best name for a pre-season tournament but I'll take the US$3 million.

Those ideas are brilliant, and they may actually make pre-season more interesting. I use pre-season matches to make some extra money for my club. I don't even control the team, and just let my assistant manager control the matches so they're over quicker. Your ideas would definitely get my more interested in pre-season, if they were implemented into future FM's.

Great idea, lots more work needed on pre-season

Good ideas. All of them . I think the international one would be good. I remember many years ago. I'm sure Nottingham Forest played India at The City Ground.

Leicester are flying out to play Thailand next week - dont ask, just another day in the circus that is Leicester City Football Club

Pre-season bores me.

Seems to be the common feeling with most people who play the game.

The question that SI need an answer to is what can be done to un-bore you!??

Seems to be the common feeling with most people who play the game.

The question that SI need an answer to is what can be done to un-bore you!??

Give me something to aim for!

Tournements and tours would be a great addition. Not only for different matches every year, but it is also a fantastic scouting oportunity.

Not sure about your clubs but Leicester went on a PS tour of Slovenia and came back with a Slovenian U21 international striker.

You can see and scout players from countries that perhaps your board wouldn't allow you to? - giving you more reason to want to go on tours and therefore making it more intersesting in the long run (Would possibly only aid to lower leagues though? As I presume with a big club you can scout whre you want?)

I think the ideas are good and would be more realistic, I think the downside is that pre-season for many can be tedious and boring so as a game player this added level of detail may not really help.

Always a balance with FM of being realistic but not over realistic. I love the realism of the game but it does always have to be balanced against the needs of the gamer.

Pre Season is one of the most interesting parts of the game.

Searching new players, designing and testing your tactics, use players in different positions, testing new transfers, arranging the squad depth...

It's amazing and it should be expanded.