Is the game rigged to stop certain teams achieving higher levels of success?

I was playing a game as Atletico Madrid and my mate was Valencia. And no matter what I did I could never finish higher than 2nd in the league and I always lost to my mate whenever I played Valencia.

I know that Atletico Madrid are seen as the Everton of Spanish football (i.e. a club that has a lot of quality players that are always wanted by the top sides in Europe) and therefore have next to no chance of holding on to any of their quality players once a top side/s come calling! Valencia very rarely lose a game at home and guess what, my mate drew 1 home game in 3 seasons as Valencia! This ultimately becomes very frustrating and ultimately led me to stop the game and start a new game as Man Utd!

Does anybody else feel that the game is rigged to stop so called lesser teams beating the more established ones? I know tha game is supposed to be as life like as possible but it isn't supposed to be rigged!

This would be better in the GD section so moved.

I was playing a game as Atletico Madrid and my mate was Valencia. And no matter what I did I could never finish higher than 2nd in the league and I always lost to my mate whenever I played Valencia.

I know that Atletico Madrid are seen as the Everton of Spanish football (i.e. a club that has a lot of quality players that are always wanted by the top sides in Europe) and therefore have next to no chance of holding on to any of their quality players once a top side/s come calling! Valencia very rarely lose a game at home and guess what, my mate drew 1 home game in 3 seasons as Valencia! This ultimately becomes very frustrating and ultimately led me to stop the game and start a new game as Man Utd!

Does anybody else feel that the game is rigged to stop so called lesser teams beating the more established ones? I know tha game is supposed to be as life like as possible but it isn't supposed to be rigged!

No, it is not rigged.

I dont believe this at all in any way, Atletico Madrid won the league in my Valencia game and were a team that constantly bothered me and could score freely against me and anyone else.

Please explain the above then?

Explain what?

Please explain the above then?

Valencia has a better squad, you're not as good a manager? Could be any one of many things.

PMSL. Its not rigged.

Why would SI make it so you can't win? Surely that would frustrate the player, making it so he doesn't buy future games?

I disagree! Valencia are supposed to be £462m in debt but yet they can still sign players for £70m+. I don't think there is any real difference between the Atletico Madrid squad and the Valencia squad.

If there was such a difference in the quality of the 2 squads why was at least half my squad wanted by the top sides in Europe?

I disagree! Valencia are supposed to be £462m in debt but yet they can still sign players for £70m+. I don't think there is any real difference between the Atletico Madrid squad and the Valencia squad.

If there was such a difference in the quality of the 2 squads why was at least half my squad wanted by the top sides in Europe?

Are you trying to narrow it down to the conclusion being that you're inept at managing?

PMSL. Its not rigged.

What does PMSL mean?

What does PMSL mean?

He ****ed himself laughing.

Are you trying to narrow it down to the conclusion being that you're inept at managing?

What does your Valencia team look like then expert?

I disagree! Valencia are supposed to be £462m in debt but yet they can still sign players for £70m+. I don't think there is any real difference between the Atletico Madrid squad and the Valencia squad.

If there was such a difference in the quality of the 2 squads why was at least half my squad wanted by the top sides in Europe?

As far as I'm aware the debt in the DB on 9.3.0 doesn't reflect the actual financial state Valencia is in fully, so I wouldn't really use that as part of your argument.

What does your Valencia team look like then expert?

I don't play as Valencia, never have. I only play LLM.

nope...Valencia has a much better squad.. In all my games played there were players from Valencia wining golden ball or player of the year or stuff like this Silva or Villa so it's a big difference between the clubs

but if you and your team mate are playing more seasons mayby your team reach his team's level and then you have more chances to beat him

Valencia are not in debt in the game and you can spend alot of cash on your team as they have good attendances and can make money quite easily. I signed Torres in season 3 for £62 million the bank balance seems so get bigger every year and you make a profit every month aswell.

I don't play as Valencia, never have. I only play LLM.

Your opinion is completely irrelevant then seeing as though you aren't even playing the same game.

Your opinion is completely irrelevant then seeing as though you aren't even playing the same game.

No it's not? If anything it proves that you are completely wrong, I'm managing a team that started in the lowest playable English league and am finishing above of Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool now. Rigged? You're having a laugh.

No it's not? If anything it proves that you are completely wrong, I'm managing a team that started in the lowest playable English league and am finishing above of Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool now. Rigged? You're having a laugh.

What team is that then?

What team is that then?

Team Bath... what difference does it make? As everyone has kindly pointed out, you're wrong.

Your opinion is completely irrelevant then seeing as though you aren't even playing the same game.

He thinks LLM is another game?!?!

PMSL.

Look mate if you want some tips go to the good player and team forum and ask? I would imagine it would be pretty easy to win La Liga after a few seasons on FM. Possibly even first season.

La Liga is harder than the EPL usually due to the brilliance of Barcelona and Real Madrid who regularly get over 100 points.

La Liga is harder than the EPL usually due to the brilliance of Barcelona and Real Madrid who regularly get over 100 points.

I'm going there after 10 seasons at Liverpool. Then onto Italy. First time I have ever tried moving leagues as it were. Will report back.

Currently season 6 at Liverpool.

And to see, I will try to get Athletico job.

Team Bath... what difference does it make? As everyone has kindly pointed out, you're wrong.

As a Crescents fan, I doff my hat to you sir

As a Crescents fan, I doff my hat to you sir

It's a shame they won't even be in the game next year

He ****ed himself laughing.

Whilst taking his head out of his own a**!

i won the league with athletico on 08

it was over 5years in tho

Your opinion is completely irrelevant then seeing as though you aren't even playing the same game.

Lower League Management (LLM). I apologise, but I don't normally speak in shorthand.

i won the league with athletico on 08

it was over 5years in tho

It looks like a lot of time and patience is required then! What did your title winning team look like?

It's not rigged.

Often it seems rigged, but big clubs with high reputation often have very good performances even a little bit after losing some key players

IMO if people can win the Premiership with Exeter and other such Blue square teams i really cannot see why si would pick on Athletico

Not rigged. Just look at RickHs achievements with Braintree.

It's a shame they won't even be in the game next year

Yeah it's not been a good year

At least we'll be in dafuge's Challenge for FM10, small victories and all that...

It's not rigged.

Often it seems rigged, but big clubs with high reputation often have very good performances even a little bit after losing some key players

It is so annoying having the bigger clubs upsetting your younger players in order to sign them.

Was beginning to feel this way as Newcastle manager, but won the league and CL in 2015. Each season before this I let good league leads slip. Won it by one point that year. It isn't rigged, but it's always nice to think up excuses.

It's bloody annoying isn't it when you are on a good run and all of a sudden no matter what you do you can't win a game to stop the slide. From all the responses I have had to this thread, it looks like the game isn't rigged, but there are times whan it appears to be.

Thanks to alll of you that have replied to my thread.

In a word - "No" its not rigged.

It is however much easier to achieve success generally if you have decent financial backing and a large fanbase to gain revenue from, playing as a team without both of these is the greatest challenge imho.

I totally agree with your point regarding playing as somebody with "decent financial backing and a large fanbase to gain revenue from". I am suprised at the number of people who start as a lower league team and attempt to work their way up through the leagues. I think you definately need to be a supporter of thet team in order to achieve success though because I wouldn't know where to start with a lower league team.

Not rigged. Just look at RickHs achievements with Braintree.

Woooo yeah

The game isnt rigged at all, it just requires patience, knowledge and a fair share of luck!

Woooo yeah

The game isnt rigged at all, it just requires patience, knowledge and a fair share of luck!

Ah the infamous RickH!

First of all congrats on your fine record! Second, I couldn't agree more with your statement above! I think that the game can appear rigged by the mere fact that you get crap results when you need them least and it makes you frustrated.

I play as Brighton or a random Conference South club generally speaking and have achieved bottom to top success in every version of FM (its one of my 'standard' play-tests of the game) BUT in the later versions of FM its much much more difficult (and realistic) to achieve than on earlier versions of the game.

Quite often I'll find my team get 'mired' in certain division and have to regroup over a long period building up a fan base, reputation and financial backing before being able to move onward. This 'hump' is most commonly found either in the Conference or the Championship in England I've found personally.

But if you're willing to play a game over 20-30 seasons you CAN achieve success ..

I truely admire your dedication Marc and well done on the success you have had already! Do Brighton suffer a lot with financial difficulties?

I play as Brighton or a random Conference South club generally speaking and have achieved bottom to top success in every version of FM (its one of my 'standard' play-tests of the game) BUT in the later versions of FM its much much more difficult (and realistic) to achieve than on earlier versions of the game.

Quite often I'll find my team get 'mired' in certain division and have to regroup over a long period building up a fan base, reputation and financial backing before being able to move onward. This 'hump' is most commonly found either in the Conference or the Championship in England I've found personally.

But if you're willing to play a game over 20-30 seasons you CAN achieve success ..

Agree completely.

Nidge, there are examples of people getting bottom to top success all over the forum if you look around. I myself have had a large amount of success with Braintree Town. I knew virtually nothing of them before i decided to manage them on FM09, even though they play a couple of miles from my home. I am in 2023/2024, top of the Premiership, a far cry from where they start, in the BSS. I have won every competition i could possibly enter and built them into the biggest, richest club in the world!

Nothing is impossible

Agree completely.

Nidge, there are examples of people getting bottom to top success all over the forum if you look around. I myself have had a large amount of success with Braintree Town. I knew virtually nothing of them before i decided to manage them on FM09, even though they play a couple of miles from my home. I am in 2023/2024, top of the Premiership, a far cry from where they start, in the BSS. I have won every competition i could possibly enter and built them into the biggest, richest club in the world!

Nothing is impossible

This is what I am trying to do I have got a promotion every year to get my Nantwich Town team to league one but now the differences in quality are starting to tell. We are a couple of points outside the playoffs but I hope to sneak into them before the season ends.

Agree completely.

Nidge, there are examples of people getting bottom to top success all over the forum if you look around. I myself have had a large amount of success with Braintree Town. I knew virtually nothing of them before i decided to manage them on FM09, even though they play a couple of miles from my home. I am in 2023/2024, top of the Premiership, a far cry from where they start, in the BSS. I have won every competition i could possibly enter and built them into the biggest, richest club in the world!

Nothing is impossible

The commitment of some of you guys who play this game is admirable. You should be commended for you patience and dedication! If I was to start as my home town club Southampton, I think I would need a lot of patience!

Congrats and keep up the good work Rick and Marc!

This is what I am trying to do I have got a promotion every year to get my Nantwich Town team to league one but now the differences in quality are starting to tell. We are a couple of points outside the playoffs but I hope to sneak into them before the season ends.

Do you guys get many job offers from clubs in higher leagues? If so, would any of you take them?

Do you guys get many job offers from clubs in higher leagues? If so, would any of you take them?

Depends what you set your previous experience to, I have it set to international so thats the highest I have had job offers from Getafe, Spurs, Newcastle, Man Utd, Athletico Bilboa and Real Betis. I would not leave at the moment as I want to take Nantwich to the Prem.

Depends what you set your previous experience to, I have it set to international so thats the highest I have had job offers from Getafe, Spurs, Newcastle, Man Utd, Athletico Bilboa and Real Betis. I would not leave at the moment as I want to take Nantwich to the Prem.

How do you set your previous experience? Do you do this when you set your manager profile up at the start of the game?