Awesome managers?

**omaroo** · 13-03-2012 19:18

As the title suggest i have read some of the game saves of fellow FM gamers, and man there are some awesome managers here. How do you guys manage to get a crap team to win the premier leage and champions league etc. I have seen people win these trophies with cardiff and southampton. I got respect for people like these. I wish i could play as sik as these but im not into managing small teams.

**markyosullivan** · 13-03-2012 20:08

IMO the best FM saves I've had is with small teams or teams i've never heard of in a foreign country (such as Holland)

**dieu** · 13-03-2012 20:30

I love taking over smallish teams and getting them to the Premer League and on to glory. I have actually never had an unsuccsessfull save, and I have never been fired in my entire FM career. (This is games where I have played more then one season. I always try out loads of different teams in every new version of FM and keep experimenting untill I find a team I like.Usually those games never last more than half a season.)

I'm not good at the game. I mostly ignore the tactical side of the game and usually focus more on motivationg the players and getting the best players in each position. My biggest strength is that I am incredibly stubborn. I keep working untill I get the results I want. Most time it takes me 10-15 season to build a successfull side. The key to it is never give up!

**Anti Spiral** · 13-03-2012 20:40

>Cardiff and Southampton
>Small teams

Troll thread...?

I've won the Champions League with Angri and Tonbridge Angels, I enjoy the challenge of getting the lowest reputation clubs to the highest stage.

**hhhonlyfan1984** · 13-03-2012 20:46

its about squad management the challenge or no finances which means you have to have a good eye for players as you cannot afford to spend money for players to be flops and having a good training and tactics skills aswell. currently 2027 in my basingstoke save and european and premier league champions for the 8th time in a row.

**Mr_Whippy** · 13-03-2012 20:50

I always manage small, to build big with an average squad age of 23 .

**dieu** · 13-03-2012 20:55

Youth development is one of the most fun things to do in FM. Nothing beats finding a rough diamond newgen and polishing him into a world beater

It's also fun to buy cheap young talent, improve them and sell them of for big bucks later on.
And nothing beats doing it this way with a small club!

**omaroo** · 14-03-2012 00:40

Anit Spiral im not trolling, dont get why u would say that. I never troll. I legit class southampton and cardiff as low teams.

Its amazing some of you guys managing teams with low rep and win champs league. WOW. But how?, i would find it really hard. I have always loved and always had success with big teams. No doubt youth plays a part with low rep teams. Respect to u guys for doing so good with these average teams.

**scott MUFC** · 14-03-2012 03:02

signings
4-2-2-2 very fluid attacking fromations.... :P

**xIheartdropdeadx** · 14-03-2012 13:43

Iv'e managed to get Bishop Auckland from Blue Square North to the Premiership in 5 seasons won the league in every season managed to win the Johnstone Paints Trophy got to the F.A Cup Final but lost to Arsenal. I'm about 8 games into the Premiership and I'm 10th about 11 points behind the leaders Man City who have one the Premiership 3 seasons in a row obviously I'm not looking to win the league but stay in it. But I suppose it does help in my game that since I started it Iv'e had 3 outstanding players from an earl age who have scored over 70 odd goals between them each season and that isn't an exaggeration. 2 Englishmen and one Brazilian. My outstanding player is JB who has scored over 400 goals for me and is only 24 now and Gaucho Pele who has over 250 goals for the club yet to be called up to the Brazil national side though. JB has and has scored 7 goals in 13 caps and scored 24 goals in 21 under 21 caps. Iv'e not used any cheats or anything as it makes the game more enjoyable.

**Graham FM** · 14-03-2012 13:57

Just won the premier league with Hailfax fc town plus back to back fa cup wins... turned down loads off job offers to stay with hailfax.. recently Ac Milian came looking for me....

**xIheartdropdeadx** · 14-03-2012 14:37

**Buzzlightyear** · 14-03-2012 14:49

whats everyones secret, when your losing im like quit restart how do u guys keep going?

**xIheartdropdeadx** · 14-03-2012 14:52

If I'm going on a bad run I normally call a team meeting which usually helps get things back on track.

**markyosullivan** · 14-03-2012 16:56

Originally Posted by Buzzlightyear

whats everyones secret, when your losing im like quit restart how do u guys keep going?

Try and encourage the players, give the confidence to go out and get a win. Morale plays a big part in performances imo.

**omaroo** · 14-03-2012 19:25

Man i keep reading are am more surprised. Is 4-2-2-2 really a good formation. doesnt it depend on the type of players you have

**shirajzl** · 14-03-2012 19:45

I used to be amazed at how other people are so successful...And then I spent a few months reading these forums, gto the grasp of how tactics work, what attributes are more important than others etc. This game contains so many little things, but not all of them are really important. Once you realize what's what, you're on a winner.

Right now I'm in 7th season with Vauxhall Motors. We're in EPL now, having started in BSN. I won the league every year except the first season in L2.

**omaroo** · 15-03-2012 00:43

Im so slow that all these years i still havent got the grasp of all the important things but i have won most trophies, but im still not happy the way i did, compared to people on here especially with crap teams. It must be great knowledge.

**omaroo** · 22-03-2012 19:31

Im so angry and annoyed at the moment. How do you guy achieve so much with small/crap teams. I couldnt and i cant win everything with crap team. Am i crap then or what. Does everyone play and win everything with crap/poor teams.

**Stephanie McMahon\'s Secret Lover** · 22-03-2012 20:16

Well I'm always taking small clubs to be giants and I dont get fired. However it does take me a bit longer than the "super manager". Now make no mistake, some of these guys are cheating but some are very good.

Tactics are not that important. Its down to quality of player. If he's not good enough to get into your starting XI DON'T BUY HIM!

Contrary to what you read in the tactics forum there are no super tactics whatsoever. If you've noticed no one actually reproduces similar results to the OP. Its down to players using big teams to make their tactics or small teams a few seasons in with great players or just cheats.

Small to big club is perfectly plausable. Most fun I've had is with Seapatrick in Northern Ireland. Even got a stadium named after me.

**BigRoboCrouch** · 22-03-2012 20:34

Originally Posted by omaroo

Im so angry and annoyed at the moment. How do you guy achieve so much with small/crap teams. I couldnt and i cant win everything with crap team. Am i crap then or what. Does everyone play and win everything with crap/poor teams.

Many people cheat by giving themselves money and/or using a 3rd party program to scout for amazing young players,but no one admits it.

**shirajzl** · 22-03-2012 21:05

Still, you don't have to cheat in any way to be extremely successful. However, you do need a good tactic (mind you, as already mentioned, you shouldn't aspire to find a "super tactic"), knowledge of which attributes are more important than others, good morale management via team talks, private chats and team meetings and, last but not least, a bit of patience.

**omaroo** · 22-03-2012 23:43

I figured some people cheat, but some are great though. I dont know hpw they can achieve so much with a small club, that would never happen in real life.

Thats the thing i think i know about which attributes are important but maybe i dont, i know i would get bored if i manage a small club due to not having alot of money

Also do you have to have alot of private chats, i only ever have private chats if a play is play great or poor. Dont get me started on team meetings.

**JVO** · 23-03-2012 13:07

I think the more exposure you've had to the game and its various predecessors you kind of learn what formula works.

Then it becomes second nature.

**Johnny Drama** · 23-03-2012 13:12

I like the challenge with King's Lynn it was easy to build year on year in the lower leagues but then some barriers are harder to pass, I enjoy the challenge. I am in 2025/2026 and 2nd year in the Prem and am still someway off the Premiership elite.

**omaroo** · 24-03-2012 00:53

Thats the thing i have played since FM07 and not sure how good/ great i am, even though i thought i was. I dont know what the formula is, im not as sik as u guys. I still dont know how its possible to win EVERYTHING with crap teams.

**marty78** · 24-03-2012 01:38

Originally Posted by omaroo

Thats the thing i have played since FM07 and not sure how good/ great i am, even though i thought i was. I dont know what the formula is, im not as sik as u guys. I still dont know how its possible to win EVERYTHING with crap teams.

To be honest mate I'd be suprised if most of those claiming outlandish results with mediocre sides didn't cheat. With perhaps some exceptions I'd guess that most people winning the EPL with Blackburn or Everton etc in the first season have to be cheating. Also those who go whole seasons unbeaten in the most competetive leagues are generally full of s**t or incredibly gifted.

However if people wish to cheat then fair enough, it is their game and they are only cheating themselves. Basically I wouldn't pay too much attention to those claiming such things. The 4-2-2-2 formation is an expoit to flood the oppositions defence apparently (unless it is the brazilian version). It will always score goals but is vulnerable defensively.

You could be the best player in the world if you just quit and reload every time you lose.

**scott MUFC** · 24-03-2012 01:41

4-2-2-2 is a great formation, if you have good wingers and strikers. otherwise its a gamble, and never away from home with it if you are a mid tabler.
omly so far reloading will get you though, if you are junk, you can reload for days and lose so no point really.

**marty78** · 24-03-2012 05:16

Originally Posted by scott MUFC

4-2-2-2 is a great formation, if you have good wingers and strikers. otherwise its a gamble, and never away from home with it if you are a mid tabler.
omly so far reloading will get you though, if you are junk, you can reload for days and lose so no point really.

To be fair most formations are pretty good if you have good wingers and strikers. I use to play a 4-2-2-2 until it was pointed out to other users that they were exploiting the match engine by doing so. I want to win fair and square so switched to a flat 4-4-2 and to be honest I found that some strange things that happened before then stopped. You will perhaps know what I mean such as defenders standing and watching as opposition players walk past them or kicking the ball out for a throw or corner when there doesn't seem to be any need. This may just be a coincidence or selective memory though.

You also have to be really crap or have a really bad team to still fail even when re-loading. Anyway my point to the OP was not to listen to people who think they are Mourinho and therefore make him feel inadequate.

**omaroo** · 24-03-2012 21:46

I did reload the first time i played a fm game because i was new, but for some years now i just lose, i lose whatever.

Cheating is not fun, whats the point of playing.

Also i barely have any wingers in my team due to my formations i play, but is 4-2-2-2 that good, that you can always score and win, and why is it exploiting the match engine using that formation? im confused.

**marty78** · 24-03-2012 22:48

Originally Posted by omaroo

I did reload the first time i played a fm game because i was new, but for some years now i just lose, i lose whatever.

Cheating is not fun, whats the point of playing.

Also i barely have any wingers in my team due to my formations i play, but is 4-2-2-2 that good, that you can always score and win, and why is it exploiting the match engine using that formation? im confused.

Well I only know what others have posted and one of these worked on the match engine(wwfan) but it seems that having 4 players staying high up the pitch causes the AI to not know how to cope. It shouldn't be like this as 4-2-2-2 is not that much of strange formation(although it is a bit gung ho) but when your counter attacking you will often find yourself with 4 attackers versus 4/5 defenders leading to a lot of chances and a lot of goals. You will also concede more aswell though without careful consideration to your tactics.

If you do not have many wingers then consider a narrow tactic as first choice but have a wider one as a back-up

**omaroo** · 25-03-2012 22:44

So is 4-2-2-2 easy to win with. But as i dont have wide players or wingers will that affect my game in long term. I use 4-1-3-2 and 4-2-3-2 and have success on FM12, this is the only game i have not used wingers or wide players that much.

**omaroo** · 05-04-2012 18:00

Anyone please reply to my above post.

Also i know most people here probably apply real life tactics to the game and are successful especially on FM12, but on other FM games i didnt and done brilliant, but i have tried some real life tactics only basic and use them in FM12 but even then it still hasnt worked wonders. Anyone have awesome success with real life tactics on FM12.

**Mike7077** · 05-04-2012 18:10

I've never taken a lowly team to a league title in all my CM/FM history, which goes back to 1997. I always wonder how people do it.

Best I've ever done is getting Wigan to the Champions League on FM11, and then reaching the quarter-finals.

**omaroo** · 05-04-2012 18:25

Some people do cheat as people have said which is up to them, but some a great with low teams, i couldnt do that myself, i prefer big teams anyway.

Anyone reply to post 32/33 i would be grateful.

**eplkewell** · 05-04-2012 18:42

I think the main way people are so successful is by playing a lot. I never manage to go more than 4 or 5 season in a single save, so I couldn't bring a BSN team to the Champions League if I tried. Also, playing as Championship and lower PL teams is easier than you'd think since you can sign players over 48 months and outspend all your rivals.

**chocolatecoatedballs** · 05-04-2012 18:44

I'm no amazing manager, but I do enjoy taking small teams to grandure.
Team talks help if moral is getting low from a bad run, private chats are good, tell a player you are happy with how they are performing, or how they are not performing, even put them in reserves, they will complain but tell them they have not given you a reason to be put in first team, usualy after two weeks in reserves they are at their best again.
Keep a small squad, with versatile players, also double up on positions, winger/strikers, CM/AMC, CM/DM, DC/FB, winger/FB. I do not have a reserve side, They are either in first team or youth, which keeps wage bill low and gives most players game time.
Cup matches are very important and should take precedence, they provide great influx of funds mid year.
433, with either 3 strikers or 1 with attaking wingers who can finish seems to work for me, my defensive formation is 42121, never used 4222, my clubs rival in RL uses that formation so I detest it as a rule lol.

Edit - if it is a tv match or a big feature, holiday and let Ass man manage the game, otherwise I find there is a greater likelyhood of loosing! Not sure why this is so, but if I manage these games, I am bound to loose more than win, which is dissapointing becuase I like to watch the match and feel involved, yet my Assman will usually get a win.

**omaroo** · 05-04-2012 18:52

Well i use to play other FM games alot and has loads of success mind you i was a big team. Im thinking o f being a lower team as i have never done that in the FM series. FM12 i have not played as much as others, it bloody annoys me.

But ye respect to the true managers with crap teams who have done great, i wish i was on your level.

**chocolatecoatedballs** · 05-04-2012 19:07

give it a go mate, I find it a lot more fun and get a sense of acheivement, you may find you curse a lot more, but you will cheer a lot more as well, specially if you scrape through to promotion in a tight fight or you see some surprisingly good goal/play.
Been playing FM for 12 years now, only a couple of times have I managed a big team.

**The Hand of God** · 05-04-2012 20:52

It's not hard to build a small team into a powerhouse as it's easy to improve your squad (even without third party scout tools), the AI is terrible at squad-building except at the highest level (where it's just okay), and, once the old managers retire, the new managers have randomly generated tactical attributes that are often totally incoherent. I would say winning the Premier League with a team like West Brom within 3 seasons is a much bigger challenge than many long-term challenges.

**omaroo** · 05-04-2012 22:04

I dont know but i doubt i could do great with small teams like i have done with big teams in the past and even with FM12.

Im with celtic now kinda getting bored so might be low team in a English league or i might be Man u my favorite team which i havent been in this game lol.

**omaroo** · 07-04-2012 18:01

I think even playing not all the time can still bring success as has happened to me on FM12, but i do want to play most of the time like previous versions but i just cant.

Someone please help in reply to my posts 32 and 33. It would really help. Thanks.

**shirajzl** · 07-04-2012 19:24

Originally Posted by omaroo

So is 4-2-2-2 easy to win with. But as i dont have wide players or wingers will that affect my game in long term. I use 4-1-3-2 and 4-2-3-2 and have success on FM12, this is the only game i have not used wingers or wide players that much.

I've been using 41212 narrow for 10 seasons with Vauxhall Motors. Got from BSN to EPL in 6 seasons. Last season we finished 4th in EPL. So no, having no wingers won't affect your long term game. As long as the tactic is sound and balanced, you can play any way you like.

**marty78** · 07-04-2012 20:12

Originally Posted by shirajzl

I've been using 41212 narrow for 10 seasons with Vauxhall Motors. Got from BSN to EPL in 6 seasons. Last season we finished 4th in EPL. So no, having no wingers won't affect your long term game. As long as the tactic is sound and balanced, you can play any way you like.

Yeah this. Whatever tactic/formation you prefer and your players suit is the best tactic to use. As you are struggling I would also suggest keeping it basic and not messing with too many sliders, at least until you are more comfortable with what they actually do. It is also important to allow your team to learn your tactics so don't keep changing every few matches looking for a winning formula.

I create three tactics which, while being different formations, have similar instructions(fluid,high pressing etc). When I have set these up I set my main tactic to standard philosophy and then the other two to counter and attacking so my team are comfortable should I decide on a mentality change.

This way I have 9 tactics that I'm always fluid with.

So I have 4-4-2 counter,standard and attacking.
4-5-1 counter, standard and attacking.
4-2-3-1 counter standard and attacking.

As I say nine tactics my team are fully comfortable with. I choose my match tactic and then just use shouts in game or maybe a mentality change. I very rarely actually change formation during matches though.

**omaroo** · 07-04-2012 22:14

Because it otehr versions i did use wingers and wide players, but in FM12 i have rarely bought or used a formation that requires wingers or wide players but have had success. Like you have said everyone has their own style.

Marty i also have three different tactics which are three different formations. But on those three formations and i have mentality as control, attacking or counter depending on the opponent, but what exactly do you mean you have 9 tactics, do you mean you change your mentality, passing for different matches for your formation for your players to get used to.

I have been playing FM for a number of years im now awesome like you guys but i have learnt stuff as i have gone, even though there are still things i might and dont get.

**omaroo** · 10-04-2012 23:47

Can anyone please reply to above most, marty if you go that would be great.

BTW just lost my first game in 42 with celtic in the league, was enjoying the game now im back to being peeved lol. Man FM12 really makes me hate it and love it doesnt it.

**marty78** · 11-04-2012 00:09

Originally Posted by omaroo

Because it otehr versions i did use wingers and wide players, but in FM12 i have rarely bought or used a formation that requires wingers or wide players but have had success. Like you have said everyone has their own style.

Marty i also have three different tactics which are three different formations. But on those three formations and i have mentality as control, attacking or counter depending on the opponent, but what exactly do you mean you have 9 tactics, do you mean you change your mentality, passing for different matches for your formation for your players to get used to.

I have been playing FM for a number of years im now awesome like you guys but i have learnt stuff as i have gone, even though there are still things i might and dont get.

If I change the mentality of one of my tactics to the one of the others trained my fluidity only takes a very small hit to width and tempo IIRC and if you train this new mentality for a couple of days before the match you should be fluid. Even if you don't you are close enough for your team to be comfortable. My three tactics are similar in their set-up so this may not work with wildy different instructions. Try changin your own and see what hits you take to your fluidity.

**omaroo** · 14-04-2012 00:03

Marty im confused, do you you have your three fromations as the same tactics, as mine are similar, also most of the time the formation im using usually says fluid and accomplished why is it not fluid for all those things or accomplished on all those things, i have even saw that when changing tactics in matches it says players are not used to such tactics, cant remember what it said.

**omaroo** · 14-04-2012 19:38

Marty please can you please help me.

**Harryohh** · 14-04-2012 19:51

I always played with a big team. But this time I started with corby in the BSN. 20 years later Corby are the best team in England.

Just start a game yourself. It's very easy to do it.

**omaroo** · 14-04-2012 22:39

Im with man u atm as i got fed up with celtic, just confused by marty post. Thing is i beleive im still new to FM, trust me i dont know alot about things in the game, i have played just basic stuff for years and am trying to be more advanced in FM12 as i need to be, so im not new at the game but i dont know loads of things, and that really gets to me and makes me think why i was perfect for years at the game.

**marty78** · 14-04-2012 23:10

Ok this is what I mean. I set up three tactics as standard first. So a 4-4-2 standard, a 4-5-1 standard and 4-2-3-1 standard and set them with all the same team instructions. Essentially they are the same tactic but a different formation. Then I change my second favorite formation to counter, my third favorite to attacking and leave my favorite as standard. When all three are fully trained I can then change the mentality of any of my formations to either counter, standard or attacking while only taking a small hit to fluidity. Essentially this means that I am ALMOST fluid in 9 tactics.

This is as well as I can explain it. If you have three tactics that are similar in set up then try changing it yourself and seeing how much the fluidity goes down.

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