Manager v Manager Interaction: Improvement?

I've had the idea since Manager Interaction was first a regular feature in FM (FM07?) that maybe I could use this to some effect. But I'm starting to wonder because I'm now tracking the relationship results with FMRTE in FM09 and it is rather disappointing.

For example, I can praise other managers every week or 2 and raise the relationship up to 80/20 (I like him 40/100, he likes me 20/100), but it takes many interactions to raise it even this high. Each time I risk upsetting my players. Still, this could be worth it except that the relationship apparently degrades over time. I check back in with the 80/20 manager in a few months and its now 80/5. I have not yet even tried to 'use' this relationship to get loanees or keep up morale before a big game, etc.. So what is then the point of manager v. manager relationships at all?

Its too hard to raise them, and definitely too hard to maintain them. I don't think most players bother in the first place but it seems like it could be a useful feature if someone put the time into using it. Only I don't think it is useful currently.

Anyone had any luck at all with inter-manager relations? Perhaps it works better with higher reputation managers?

I never had any luck with them personally.

Also it's quite difficult to judge if your loan/transfer offers are accepted/rejected due to your relationships isn't it?

I find there isn't enough media interaction at all. Maybe because of that stupid news box, I miss it, but I rarely see any mind games between managers over players etc.

I think media needs so much work to get it to an acceptable level.

It helped get my Boston Utd team a partnership with Man Utd because of my friendship with Sir Alex. Interacted with him less than 5 times IIRC.

I never had any luck with them personally.

Also it's quite difficult to judge if your loan/transfer offers are accepted/rejected due to your relationships isn't it?

It comes up when your offer is accepted in your inbox. It says like "The main reason XXX accepted the bid was because of his friendship/good relationship with XXX"

I think it depends on the manager and their stats, some are hard to become friends with others are really easy. I only praised a manager in my league a few times and Im 100 in his likes section. He was sacked and 2 years later im still 100.

FMRTE can show the managers personality stats so it might have something to do with that.