What have you learnt?

Have you done certain things on FM 09 or others and afterwards reflected and learnt from your mistakes?

Well my main one was on FM09, got Birmingham promoted to the Premiership first season through the play-offs, I don't think I've ever been relegated in my first season in the Premiership on any other FM. I decided to sign 'experienced' players, the likes of David James, Sami Hyypia, Filippo Inzaghi and Ronaldo (the old fat one). Well I broke my duck and got relegated, James was my only half decent signing with Inzaghi and Ronaldo scoring 0 times in a combined 22 matches.

Anyway the lesson I have learnt is to sign young, hungry players possibly from The Championship or really top, top quality players (probably could only afford 1 having just got promoted). I tried to do a Harry Redknapp and unfortunately failed, so what lessons have you lot learnt?

Is it Carlos Costly your name refers to? He is such a Donkey.

I have learnt that Lower League teams react best to simple tactics and that over-complication just leads to a lack of organisation. I have also learnt that, in the lower leagues, you need a good mix of experience and young hunger.

Haha I wondered if anyone would pick up on it. He's so bad he's good and that one trick, well it's amazing!

I haven't tried a Lower League game yet on FM09, might have to try it.

A bluenose so as soon as I saw you managed Brum, it jumped out at me. That trick, gosh, the way he manages to dummy the defender each time is simply baffling.

I would suggest Dafuge's Challenge if you are up for a real challenge

I've learnt that if you play like Man U you'll win the conference easily. Play 4-3-3 with the front 3 constantly changing positions, just like Berba, Rooney and Ronaldo.

Haha unfortunately so! The shocking thing is it actually works! He does it about 3 times a match and the defenders still fall for it which is quite worrying really, haha.

I'll have to take a look at that, going to finish my 3rd season with Birmingham and hopefully get promoted them I'm going to take a break and try and find a new game that would interest me.

I've learnt that I can sign a whole team of Brazilians into a rich English club pretty easily and win every trophy with little or no effort and managing skills.

Haha unfortunately so! The shocking thing is it actually works! He does it about 3 times a match and the defenders still fall for it which is quite worrying really, haha.

I'll have to take a look at that, going to finish my 3rd season with Birmingham and hopefully get promoted them I'm going to take a break and try and find a new game that would interest me.

He did nearly score a great goal the other week. He then stopped Scotty Sinclair scoring one. Do you get to go much?

It is a tough challenge and it is not easy.

Yeah i'm a season ticket holder in the Tilton Road stand, I remember that, I think it was against Southampton. He got through and instead of shooting passed it back to Jerome on the edge of the area! But yeah he almost scored that brilliant goal and then stopped Sinclair from scoring a Messi esque strike. At least he gives it his all, he may not be the technically gifted however!

What about you?

Yes, got a season ticket at the opposite end to you. Sinclair's goal would have been amazing. I can't say that I do not absoloutely love Costly. Would much prefer him than Bent.

Maybe we should chat over PM to not drag your thread off-topic as it could be a goodie

Haha yeah good idea, so back to the initial question, anybody else learnt from their Costly mistakes!

Boo, get your coat

I also learnt not to get too worked up over the game as it has the tendancy to be quite inconsistant.

Far too many to mention. Far too many.

My worst one ever is when I lost my rag, not my doing anything silly like smashing keyboards or that daft like that. I individualy was angry at every player in team talks and fined each player for 1 weeks her 2 weeks there, I was shortly on the FM dole queue.

I never did that ever again, ever.

Ive learned that its stupid to install FM on your brand new laptop to "test" how much better it is than your old one.. When you really should be working on 3 case studies, 2 exams and one major paper..

Shouting at players on a 7 match losing streak is not going to work (bringing in reserve players with mediocre stats but something to prove does).

You need a good goalkeeper more than you need a good defence.

Don't buy players who have good stats but have been shanty (bad) for their whole careers hoping those stats are the only true indicator of ability.