So How Will FM09 cope with Man City ?

As we know FM09 is nearing completion and then this happens. A Country, yes country (well their investment arm actually) with twice as much money as Roman Abramovich has taken over Man City. Will this be included in the new game ? More importantly will finances in the new game be tweaked to allow higher balances in the light of this investment, and if so by how much ?

I think the main problem for FM09 is going to be how to get the financial balance right between clubs when we don't even know yet for sure how that's going to pan out. City are talking of buying Christiano Ronaldo for £134 million pounds, and 18 other new players including Fabregas and Torres, which hasn't happened yet, but will it ? And how will FM09 be able to cope with it if it does ?

This is a big challenge for Football Manager, it will be interesting to see if it's dealt with, or ducked.

well this swept my mind as well also the new boss at city mentioned at eurosport that he's ready to pay around 240 million dollars for cristiano ronaldo

if this is true then we are facing a revolting campaign in the transfer period January

although it's might be just some rumours but still i can see players at a big club wih a bank balance of 1 billion euros or pounds and affording to buy players with massive amount of money

so FM comes to life i think but we will see

Well i hope SI make it realistic if thats how it is in real life i hope SI give that much money to city in the game.

If we want it to be realistic.....

(im a city fan yes )

Well its going to be a big thing, Abramovic’s net worth is roughly $23.5 billion where as ADIA who bought Man City are worth between £600 billion and £800 billion.

I think SI really do need to reflect this in the game as they are prepared to spend anything for anyone, they spent £200m on Man City but are starting a £34billion building project in Dubai, and they seem to look a the £200m as pocket change.

They really have money at their disposal and although I wouldn’t play as Man City in the game, they should have the balance if SI want to continue to make this game as close to real life as can possibly be in a game and with relation to Eles Gergo post, they are going to spend through the nose for Ronaldo, quote for this from the group:

"Real Madrid were estimating his value at $160m (£90m) but for a player like that, to actually get him, will cost a lot more, I would think $240m (£134m).

"But why not? We are going to be the biggest club in the world, bigger than both Real Madrid and Manchester United."

This is the big topic in the researchers forum at the moment, so i can assure you it is being discussed at length and Im sure it is with the development team aswell.

For me it's time to become a lower league manager!

I don't care about money anymore.

I say congratulations man city on ruining football along with all the other teams with foreign investors. It will make the game pointless as city will walk away with the league every year. And no other team will get close.

People seem to forget that Chelsea were going to walk the league every season, but as of yet, they have failed to live up to expectations, having only one it twice in five seasons. For what whas expected, thats really not been that good. Man City will most probably do the same and fail to become quite the club people expected.

Just give them the money on the last day of the transfer window; that should solve it!

I'm not too keen on those teams throwing investor money around either, but at least we get some new rivalires...

The other thing is we currently have the rare occurance of wealthy foreign investors buying up clubs in FM.

This was fine when FM08 came out as it was quite rare, but look back over the last eighteen months and look at the nationality and value of every owner in the Premiership and you realise that it's on an upward curve.

Hell, even some championship teams are getting crazy investment thrown at them!

Does this mean that in FM09 the chance of lower value team getting a gajillionaire owner in the premiership will be more likely to reflect the trends in real life?

Really only SI could reply to that if they have made the chances in the game development for that to possibly happen

I guess for the sake of realism stuff like that would have to included in the game.

Can someone shed some light for me on who exactly has bought Man city as I'm a bit confused who eactly it is, or whether it is a group of people or even the country or city of abu dhabi itself. Where have these 600 - 800 billion been made, oil presumably but just wondering.

The Abu Dhabi United Group is a United Arab Emirates company, it is part of the state's sovereign wealth fund, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA)

Money comes from oil and proerty.

They can make up to £250m a day is the price of an oil barrel goes up by 1 USD.

The problem that i've been thinking about recently is the balance between club reputation and money. Now currently in FM the majority of transfers depend on your club having a high enough reputation to attract that quality of player i believe (also things such as training facilities etc). Usually, reputation is built up by winning major competitions (Champs League etc).

But the manchester city situation has shown that some players can simply be bought if you have enough money and whilst the plans they seem to have which are coming out in the press are ridiculously ambitious, i get the feeling that can and will sign some pretty big names.

So anyway I guess my question is in the new FM will Man city be given a high reputation due to their massive amount of money?

City are now worth 10times that of Roman Ambramovich and I think untill the January update when the chances are city will buy loads of big names, they should be given a vast transfer budget, and to make city an attractive club for players to move to.

Really good point there infact fattyg, suppose something that SI will have to address in the lead up to the release, just need to keep popping it into places SI are looking.

i think the bloke who is running city seems like the person who is going to be a managers nightmare and will be interfeering (spelling:S) in every deal and buying players without consulting the manager mabe thats how it is going to be intcorperated in fm 09

At the moment, you really can't tell just how much buying power City really have. They might have money, but until January, and more likely, next July, you won't really be able to see if they are capable of landing the big players. The Robinho transfer is really not the best one to look at. He had sulked because Real had blocked his move to Chelsea, and in similar style to when he left Santos, he made it pretty clear that he had no intention of playing for the club again. Madrid, understandibly, didn't want to sell to a European rival, so when these rich prima donnas come along with their new found millions, they take the chance to get rid of a player that doesn;t want to be there.

Personally, I think Robinho was given little choice but to join City. I wouldn't be in the slightest bit suprised if Madrid told him if he didn't join them, he was going to be left to rot for the season. Until there is further transfer activity at Man City, we have no way to guage whether or not they are actually capable of signing the big players.

I don't think this specifically offers any great challenge to SI. Relatively easy to add-in within the current system.

I'll believe the rumours when I see them happen. All the money in the world won't change the fact they are Man City.

More generally, it again shows how the coding of club ownership models, financing etc. needs to change in FM.

I don't think this specifically offers any great challenge to SI. Relatively easy to add-in within the current system.

I'll believe the rumours when I see them happen. All the money in the world won't change the fact they are Man City.

More generally, it again shows how the coding of club ownership models, financing etc. needs to change in FM.

True, at the end of the day i guess they will probably still need to achieve a relatively high level of success this season as whilst i'm sure ever player has their price they do also want to join a club that is doing well. Realistically this will probably mean a at least a top 6 position and going far in at least one of the cups they are in (uefa being the most important).

Whether they can do that? well they have to players certainly but we'll have to see.

The problem that i've been thinking about recently is the balance between club reputation and money. Now currently in FM the majority of transfers depend on your club having a high enough reputation to attract that quality of player i believe (also things such as training facilities etc). Usually, reputation is built up by winning major competitions (Champs League etc).

But the manchester city situation has shown that some players can simply be bought if you have enough money and whilst the plans they seem to have which are coming out in the press are ridiculously ambitious, i get the feeling that can and will sign some pretty big names.

So anyway I guess my question is in the new FM will Man city be given a high reputation due to their massive amount of money?

That is a good point actually. Is it possible to sway a player currently with money or will they decide on their move based on the rep of the club?

i just hope they all don't go there for the money otherwise there will be no heart in the game...

when they score a goal...instead of reaching for and kissing thier respective badge...they're gonna pull out there wallets and throw money around:|

That is a good point actually. Is it possible to sway a player currently with money or will they decide on their move based on the rep of the club?

In FM robinho would probably never sign for Man City due to massive reputation difference.

Lol to the last post

The new investors' plan is to finish in the top four this season and to win the Premier League next season. It won't be quite as easy as that I think. I personally don't want City to be the next Chelsea, because since Chelsea were taken over they and their fans have lost total respect for the other teams in the Premier League and the game of football in general.

I think City should be represented with an extremely high balance, but the only problem is that we don't quite know what that should be!

I think, as Leeds and Chelsea demonstrated, you need to spend money wisely in order to be successful for a long period of time.

It will be the players like Kompany, Elano and Garrido that will be the right players for the club. As for the Robinhos of this world, I'm not too sure.

As we know FM09 is nearing completion and then this happens. A Country, yes country (well their investment arm actually) with twice as much money as Roman Abramovich has taken over Man City. Will this be included in the new game ? More importantly will finances in the new game be tweaked to allow higher balances in the light of this investment, and if so by how much ?

I think the main problem for FM09 is going to be how to get the financial balance right between clubs when we don't even know yet for sure how that's going to pan out. City are talking of buying Christiano Ronaldo for £134 million pounds, and 18 other new players including Fabregas and Torres, which hasn't happened yet, but will it ? And how will FM09 be able to cope with it if it does ?

This is a big challenge for Football Manager, it will be interesting to see if it's dealt with, or ducked.

Why is it a big challenge? All SI have to do it update the board and update the balance and transfer budget. How much cash to give them is the only thing that might remotely be labelled as challenging. And they're worth a LOT more than twice Abramovich. I really don't see what the big "challenge" for FM09 is.

IMO I think the FA ormore likely FIFA should bring in a rule on transfer fees.Maybe a cap of £100mill per season.This figure would rise each year with inflation.Otherwise SuperRich Businessmen or groups like this are going to take over football.

I know there will be those who are going to slate me for what i'm going to say next but i think its true.

As a United Fan,I dont think we have ever over done it.Summer 2007 we spent approx £51 million and this year roughly £60mill. on berbatov and completing the Tevez deal.Liverpool have easily spent this much as well.Everyone knows Arsenal haven't.My point is that,Clubs shouldn't be allowed spend all around them for Immediate success like Chelsea have done(although they slowing down in recent years) and now Man City.It took Alex Ferguson 4 1/2 years to win a trophy at united and hes been strengthening his team ever since.Same goes for Rafa,He hasnt got bottomless pockets to create the Ultimate team overnight.A transfer Cap would be a possible solution.

Sorry for straying from FM Chat.Wouldn't be to hard to add a feature like this if it was ever brought in.What do you think?

ok i slept all day and just wondering who signed robhinio and who has taken over man city please comferm my worst nightmares

City's reputation should be based as before on previous seasons and standing when the game is released. I think they'll still be top half but not in the top 4, so I'm not sure that reputation will change that much.

They may be rich, but whereas Chelsea were a Premiership side of some standing when Roman came Man City are only recently top half finishers, and even then only just.

In FM terms, they'll have money, but should not be seen as a top 20 European reputation club.

Not to mention - look at the players who's careers have toileted at Chelsea... the list is in double figures. A lot of players will be awake to this. SWP a prime example. So I'll be very interested to see what happens in January despite all the current talk from the new owners.

It would also be wrong for SI assume MC are loaded until due diligence is completed and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority actually owns the club. Which as yet, they don't in the official sense.

Why is it a big challenge? All SI have to do it update the board and update the balance and transfer budget. How much cash to give them is the only thing that might remotely be labelled as challenging. And they're worth a LOT more than twice Abramovich. I really don't see what the big "challenge" for FM09 is.

What I mean about it being a big challenge is this. In the current game if you use the editor to give you a billion quid, say, then when you start that game the money you have in the bank is nothing like that amount, presumably for gameplay reasons. But now someone has done that in real life so how does FM09 deal with that and keep gameplay acceptable for anyone who doesn't want to be manager of Man City, and yet remain realistic ?

To my mind the size of this takeover probably screws the financial model in FM almost completely and is something SI will have to either ignore completely or rewrite the financial bit of FM in order to cope with it.

In short it boils down to this are we all going have to play as Man City ? or not ? and if not, is it going to be realistic ?

BTW - McDoul makes a very valid point about Due Dilligance.

It should really be implemented in the game like it should be for other clubs:

1. Clubs have board with certain wealth

2. Boards should have different willingness to sanction transfers

3. Boards should have a ceiling price for which they would ever pay fr a single player.

Its just that for Man City, they have a lot more to be able and spend on individual players.

It can still fall within the current confines of FM.

The real thing to wonder about is the extra money that will be pumped ino the world of FM. How does it get distributed/ trickle down etc?

This is something that needs just as much consideration.

IMO I think the FA ormore likely FIFA should bring in a rule on transfer fees.Maybe a cap of £100mill per season.This figure would rise each year with inflation.Otherwise SuperRich Businessmen or groups like this are going to take over football.

I know there will be those who are going to slate me for what i'm going to say next but i think its true.

As a United Fan,I dont think we have ever over done it.Summer 2007 we spent approx £51 million and this year roughly £60mill. on berbatov and completing the Tevez deal.Liverpool have easily spent this much as well.Everyone knows Arsenal haven't.My point is that,Clubs shouldn't be allowed spend all around them for Immediate success like Chelsea have done(although they slowing down in recent years) and now Man City.It took Alex Ferguson 4 1/2 years to win a trophy at united and hes been strengthening his team ever since.Same goes for Rafa,He hasnt got bottomless pockets to create the Ultimate team overnight.A transfer Cap would be a possible solution.

Sorry for straying from FM Chat.Wouldn't be to hard to add a feature like this if it was ever brought in.What do you think?

the problem here is if you put a cap on spending how do the teams like everton, villa etc. catch the top four?

in FM this would not be too much of a problem, because you can build a great side by scouting systems and investing in youth, but in reality this not only costs a heck of a lot of money but requires worlwide contacts and is a massive logistical problem (but it is possible; look at arsenal and wenger).

IRL it is difficult to attract class players (however young) to a team that does not have a massive reputation. i think this is too easy in FM at the moment to snap up potential world class players when they are 17/18, and this needs to be addressed.

a solution to your original question would maybe be to cap spending according to where you finished in the league last season. easy concept - if you are relegated from/promoted to the prem, you can spend as much as you like. this is reduced on a sliding scale up to the league winners, who could spend a maximum, say, of £15m on transfer fees.

****, i think thats actually a pretty good idea (if i say so myself)!

15 Million pounds is too little a transfer cap, especially for top teams. I actually think a cap is not a good idea. If an owner wants to come in and spend his money, let him come in and spend. I'm sure the smaller "feeder" clubs with talented players will benefit tremendously from the money they get for bringing them up. Obviously their is going to come a point where a team won't sell a player unless the other team breaks the bank for him, or simply will not sell so long as the player wants to stay, cuz it's still about winning. I love how people are essentially claiming City champs now that they have a big bucks owner. Chelsea been without Prem title for 2 years (though it's been competitive) even though they had the most money to spend in the prem. It's still gonna come down to management, which all of you as FM players should know.

"15 Million pounds is too little a transfer cap, especially for top teams"

-

thats the point. give united a mere £15 million to spend, 2nd-4th £25 mil, and, say, teams from 5th-7th 70million, then see how they do. the solution would probably be to invest in youth. would be pretty easy to implement in FM too IMO. (but imagine the challenge! the board would demand you finish top4, but you cant spend any money. even if it doesnt happen IRL, it would be a great challenge for FM players.)

"Chelsea been without Prem title for 2 years (though it's been competitive) even though they had the most money to spend in the prem"

man u:

£30m berbatov, £30m rooney, £30m ferdinand, £30m tevez, £18m carrick, £18m hargreaves.

the title holders havent exactly spent small have they? sorry going off topic

IMO the financial system in FM needs to be overhauled radically. transfer fees/ability to pay a players wages should be more heavily influenced by the board. convincing a player that his future lies at a club should be exclusively a manager's decision.

i dont know what the current system is in FM, but IRL some boards (like chelsea, man city) are happy to pump money into clubs like no tomorrow. other boards are far more fiscally responsible and will not let the manager run up debt.

in past fm games i have found it unbelievable difficult to stay on budget in LLM , but once in the premiership it is far too easy to make money whilst being a mid table club (unrealistic - clubs like west ham, pompey certainly do not make money. most PL clubs operate at a loss). its certainly an area where FM could improve

People are saying that Man City's reputation hasn't increased but over the past year it has massivly increased in asia and Australia and places like that as far as im aware that is. We have got many training camps round the world that were implemented as soon as shinawatra came into the board we have links with clubs all round the world so reputation has increased. We are also now in europe.

City at the moment have a reputation of about 6800 in game, I think this should increase to 7500 not much more or less i think that would be acceptable.

As for all the money for me the game should be as realistic as possible and when the new board actually take over and some kind of figures are released then thats when the decision should be made.

I've got the perfect solution, since i'm a Man Utd fan why dont SI just forget Man City and make Man Utd rich? Everyone hates them anyway because they are so successful so it won't really matter

with twice as much money as Roman Abramovich

Twice? It's more than 20 times as much!

Twice? It's more than 20 times as much!

Wouldnt he be the richest man in the world then with 20 times as much as Roman, as he is in the top ten in the world.

That is my knowledge as I know it grant me if im wrong and correct me but that is what I thought

City's reputation should be based as before on previous seasons and standing when the game is released. I think they'll still be top half but not in the top 4, so I'm not sure that reputation will change that much.

They may be rich, but whereas Chelsea were a Premiership side of some standing when Roman came Man City are only recently top half finishers, and even then only just.

In FM terms, they'll have money, but should not be seen as a top 20 European reputation club.

Not to mention - look at the players who's careers have toileted at Chelsea... the list is in double figures. A lot of players will be awake to this. SWP a prime example. So I'll be very interested to see what happens in January despite all the current talk from the new owners.

It would also be wrong for SI assume MC are loaded until due diligence is completed and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority actually owns the club. Which as yet, they don't in the official sense.

You pretty much have it spot on.

Manchester City already have a high reputation in the game (I believe it was actually boosted previously when Thaksin Shinawatra took over) and to increase it anymore would push them to the 'big 4' level.

This wouldn't be realistic, because as yet, they haven't done anything except make an 'impact signing' that's made everyone sit up and take notice.

They'll have boosted finances and money to spend on players but it's something that'll have to be assessed over time. January will certainly be rather interesting.

Exactly. It's not fair to simply say that Robinho has gone and therefore everyone else will. Robinho wanted out, and City is a stepping stone. Had it been Spurs, Arsenal or even Everton making the bid he'd have gone because he wanted out of Madrid.

It's going to be very hard to assess the money situation for this FM with Man City only having signed one huge deal and done little else. It causes imbalance. Chelsea for example have not been awash with the funds they seemingly have in FM. Why? FM Chelsea finances are based on the fact that Abramobitch is rich which whilst true has had little bearing this past few transfer windows. The £300m spent in the first 18 months has ceased, the club has been making efforts to regulate, and as such the sugar daddy effect in FM is wholly unrealistic. Equally, giving Man City limitless funds at this point would also be ridiculous since we have no idea how much the ADIA will actually invest.

One of two scenarios is likely - they'll spend freely with the downside being that Man City becomes an arab playboys hobby with managers sacked every six months and some idiot in dubai chasing galacticos without really winning a lot, or they'll treat the club as a business, spend a couple of hundred million, and then expect some returns - cue more sackings.

FM need not go gold for some time yet, and SI need to ensure that the game is an accurate representation as I'm sure the Man City researcher is already submitting £3bn balance and £275m transfer kitty as we type.

Woot.

Time for Riz to get coding "Hedge / Sovereign Wealth Fund" feature.

Definitely the first team I'll be playing with this year is Man Citeh.

It's going to be very hard to assess the money situation for this FM with Man City only having signed one huge deal and done little else. It causes imbalance. Chelsea for example have not been awash with the funds they seemingly have in FM. Why? FM Chelsea finances are based on the fact that Abramobitch is rich which whilst true has had little bearing this past few transfer windows. The £300m spent in the first 18 months has ceased, the club has been making efforts to regulate, and as such the sugar daddy effect in FM is wholly unrealistic. Equally, giving Man City limitless funds at this point would also be ridiculous since we have no idea how much the ADIA will actually invest.

When you start factoring in the various statements making claims that they're willing to spend £135 on Ronaldo, on top of Torres, Fabregas and the like, you really have to assume they will in fact be spending obscene amounts of money in the coming months and years.

As far as I'm aware of this is the first fund to take over an European club - if their goal's to reach the top, then money no longer becomes issue, at all. If I see ∞ in the balance window I wouldn't be too surprised, but the biggest difference is I think there will be far less money for the manager to use, and more for a grand spectacle to be created by the board/owners. January / next summer will literally be like playing FM after editing the DB.

Wouldnt he be the richest man in the world then with 20 times as much as Roman, as he is in the top ten in the world.

That is my knowledge as I know it grant me if im wrong and correct me but that is what I thought

The company as i believe it are worth 600billion-800billion so i guess roman abramovich is a drop in the ocean compared.

I may be wrong i dont no.

The company as i believe it are worth 600billion-800billion so i guess roman abramovich is a drop in the ocean compared.

I may be wrong i dont no.

According to sky sports news the guy in charge Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim is up to ten times richer than Abramovich. I wonder if i asked nicely he'd give me a million or two lol after all that will be just pocket change to him

One of Thaksin's key aides, who was involved in negotiations with ADUG, told BBC Sport: "Although Dr Sulaiman is the face of the new owners, Sheikh Mansour is the main player."

Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is a member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi, and his 19 brothers include the president and crown prince of the emirate.

He is married to Sheikha Manal bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, daughter of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

The estimated wealth of the Al Nahyan family is an almost unimaginable $1 trillion (a thousand billion dollars) or more than £560bn.

BBC Sport

With these kind of wealth, I'm afraid the footballing world can only go downwards. The future of football manager may change(either more fun, or less)

IRL, Man City will splurge, and boy they will splurge, I won't be surprised if their annual transfer spending exceeds £500 million.

In the game, Man City will be virtually untouchable. Why? With that kind of money, they can attract ANY, and i mean ANY player that they want. Ronaldo? Here you go. Fabregas? Pennies.

No club will be able to match their financial might, unless Gates, Buffett, Abramovich, Lakshmi Mittal and all the tycoons of the world pool their money together.

The oil tycoons meant well, but they have just put the footballing world into a massive chaos.

One of Thaksin's key aides, who was involved in negotiations with ADUG, told BBC Sport: "Although Dr Sulaiman is the face of the new owners, Sheikh Mansour is the main player."

Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is a member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi, and his 19 brothers include the president and crown prince of the emirate.

He is married to Sheikha Manal bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, daughter of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

The estimated wealth of the Al Nahyan family is an almost unimaginable $1 trillion (a thousand billion dollars) or more than £560bn.

BBC Sport

With these kind of wealth, I'm afraid the footballing world can only go downwards. The future of football manager may change(either more fun, or less)

IRL, Man City will splurge, and boy they will splurge, I won't be surprised if their annual transfer spending exceeds £500 million.

In the game, Man City will be virtually untouchable. Why? With that kind of money, they can attract ANY, and i mean ANY player that they want. Ronaldo? Here you go. Fabregas? Pennies.

No club will be able to match their financial might, unless Gates, Buffett, Abramovich, Lakshmi Mittal and all the tycoons of the world pool their money together.

The oil tycoons meant well, but they have just put the footballing world into a massive chaos.

NO they haven't they dont even own us yet

It's all about money, isn't it? How sad.