Press Conferences

Probably the most irritating thing about FM10 is the repetitive press conference which occur 4 times most weeks and illicit the same questions week in week out (I know, I know its a computer game with a finite database of questions).

I have toyed with the idea of setting the assistant manager setting to do an Alex Ferguson on it and let the AM take all the conferences but the once or twice i have (particularly pre match) seems to have had an adverse effect on my result (or at least the result didn't go my way and I putting it down to this!)

So can anybody tell me:

Are the press conferences important in terms of effecting results (SI answer will be no)?

Has anyone set the AM to do these and still had success?

Am I just being paranoid?

Ta

A.

1. Of course they have an impact on results- many people will say it is too much of an impact. You ignore thwm at your peril

2. Depends on the quality of the AM but unless he is very good, it is not a great idea to leave it to him.

I've always left it to the AM but it does cause some problems from time to time.

[so there's no way around them?

Annoying

Yeah, I let my assistant do it and I still get results

1. Of course they have an impact on results- many people will say it is too much of an impact. You ignore thwm at your peril

Whilst Fraz is right in that they do have an impact, its much less than the impression I get from his post.

From a press conference only one question has any effect, the one chosen by the reporters that you get a separate message about after the conference. I'm sure the original idea was if the reporter liked you a more positive answer was chosen and if he didn't he selected a negative one, but I'm not convinced its working properly.

In my experience most have minor effects but you get an occasional one that has a greater affect. You'll need to play around with different questions to understand what each does but to give an example:

"Do you consider opposition player x to be a threat?" - My response would be something like "I wouldn't focus on just one player"

If selected this usually results in a small morale drop in that player prior to the match (one step, eg Very good - good).

"Do you consider opposition player x to be a threat?" - My response would be something like "I wouldn't focus on just one player"

If selected this usually results in a small morale drop in that player prior to the match (one step, eg Very good - good).

Have you verified this is the case? I haven't, but I thought the player could also be more motivated to prove you wrong?

Have you verified this is the case? I haven't, but I thought the player could also be more motivated to prove you wrong?

I imagine it will depend on their personality.

Have you verified this is the case? I haven't, but I thought the player could also be more motivated to prove you wrong?

I've never seen the opposition player more motivated by choosing the second to bottom answer (my example above).

I think I have seen them motivated by picking the bottom answer but its that long since I selected it I can't say for sure - as Tomer says this answer could be down to personality.

I let my AM do it and I do get results. Sometimes the AM will be stupid and and answer incorrectly, which will have an effect on the match. But thats fine. It will happen to you too if you take the questions. Sometimes you think you answered everything correctly, and yet the media report that you had a "cagey" session lol.

There should be an option to turn off press conferences. The game was fine without them. Remember the good old days of CM01/02 - We didn't need press conferences for a realistic game.

I understand that SI need to add new features to the game every year or two for marketing reasons, but the problem with press conferences is it can never be realistic as the questions and answers are all coded into the game, and exactly the same each week.

It is boring and repetitive. Theres no skill involved in answering the questions. Common sense and staying neutral when answering prevents a drop in morale

I don't think they're vital, I let my assistant take care of them and I suck, I sucked even when I took care of them (and said the right things, well, the socially accepted "right things").

Same goes for unveiling players, both can make your players unhappy for NO reason, some have personalities that contradict each other, makes me wonder if they should be in a mental institution instead.

Press conferences: less interesting than "save game."

My ass man once said that giving away a penalty would have a negative impact on a player's confidence, which caused a nasty morale drop. (I resisted the temptation to sack him on the spot.)

It's a small price to pay.

Thanks for the feedback.

Think I am going to turn the AM on and see how it goes - can't see myself sticking with FM much longer if I keep spending more time answering the same questions 4 times a week.

Assistant manager has taken them for me pretty much since they were first put in. He might upset a player or two once or twice in a season but that's really not a big price to pay for being able to ignore the most tedious feature ever introduced in FM.

Always leave them to the ass man except when it's a cup final or other really important game.

Another vote to take press conferences out of the game. I will stop playing this great game before I start doing the mind-numbing press conferences. I let the AM do them and accept the results.

Have an ass man who is 19+ on motivation and 15+ on tactical knowledge. Most press conferences I send him, without many problems.

Another good thing about press conferences is that the game stops, so I can go to training menu and click "one day" rest. (This is one more feature that could made automatic, as I have to repeat this over and over again).

leave it to the assistant. the only annoying thing about that is it will affect your 'hands on approach' rating, if you care about that at all

I go to all of the press conferences, and answer every question. Too bad EVERY journalist now lists as dislike, or worse, HATRED towards me. What the heck...? Annoying, worthless feature that should be left out of future games.

left out is too far, it should just be proportionate. If i'm at a lower league club, a big draw in the cup or a massive derby and i'll be happy to do an interview.

The problem is to make it less repetiive, you wither need an endless database of questions and possibilites or a better Press Conference AI type thing. and i don't think that's worth the time or effort. so i'd settle for my original thought

I like the concept that a manager could use the press as a means of gaining a psychological advantage over upcoming opponents. In real life this happens, take Sir alex for example. However i do feel that within this game, far too much is dependant on your responses as a manager. I have said before on these forums that your players will know you, you will know them. In real life, your players would recognize your abilities (or lack of) in dealing with the media. This is not reflected in the game. Surely fans are more likely to be swayed by press conferences than your players? :confused:

After my assistant left to take another job i signed Jurgen Klopp as my ass man and he hasn't failed me once in a press conference in two years.

i hate it when my assistant manager answers the question of "who will win the league title this season" and he tells the press it will be my biggest rival, major bug. demoralises whole squad.

Yeah, I let my assistant do it and I still get results

Same here