How deep in are you?

[gregt or smokey]

So how involved are you all in managing your teams? I've been playing FM for a few years now, it has took up a ridiculous amount of my time, but I still don't think I'm as hardcore as some people out there may be.

I tend to make my own training schedules, I take care of all youth/reserve contracts, I watch the games and don't just holiday etc etc.

But is there anybody out there who takes all of their reserve and youth games, or watches other games to personally scout a player?

I'm curious to see how far some you take it, and I'd like to hear about it as I'm thinking of getting truly immersed myself.

[Jay96]

Don't do it. Save yourself.... before it's too late...!

[mrdorf]

Don't do it. Save yourself.... before it's too late...!

This. Once you go in too deep it's almost impossible to get out. It consumes you to the point that you shun your family and friends...

[markyosullivan]

I've regularly checked on my loan players at my feeder club, Canvey Island this season, seen them play twice already and it's only in Nov in my save. Also going to check out my parent club's U18s in a match in the 21st December to see if there's any players I might be interested in trying to get on loan in the next season or 2.

[Ellisio]

About 9 inches...

[Jay96]

About 9 inches...

Made me laugh.

[Clarky323]

I like to have my own staff, sort out the affiliated clubs, sort out all contracts at all levels, I let my scouts do the scouting, it is their job, I also let my assistant sort training out, also, If I am doing a team that I know well in real life (live my fav club LFC) I pick the team myself, if not, I always get an assistant with good tactical knowledge and let him pick the team!!

[achilles-the-victorious]

Yes, I am 'unfortunately' that hardcore! I wanted 'something more' after having managed Juventus for some 12 years. I had a very large squad with a lot of youngsters, but that posed two problems, one, there is only so much first team playing time available, and two, I already had done all the scouting and transfers necessary for probably the next 5 years. But transfers and scouting is one of my favorite aspects of the game, so it was like a lot of the fun was somehow gone, now that I had a solid first team and huge crop of talented youngsters.

I started managing Leeds simultaneously in order to get first team playing time for as many youngsters as were willing to join Leeds (who were in the Championship). I won promotion, and managed a 7th place finish in the EPL first season up, which was pretty spectacular, but many people have done the same or better, I am sure. We got into Europe for the next season, but the club wasn't strong enough to compete on both fronts. We somehow managed to scrape through 4 rounds or so of tough Europa League football and got kicked out in the QF. It also meant I was offered the Sevilla job, and I took it.

So now Sevilla is my feeder club, while I still manage Juventus as the main club! I don't find training schedules to be very important, I tell players what to focus on, give them a tutor if need be, and most importantly, try to find some minutes in the first team for the up-and-comers. Right now I have a young homegrown CB who has developed to have 20 strength and 20 jumping, and a pace man with 20 pace, and 19 finishing.

There's nothing like the delayed pay off of giving a 20 year old kid a bunch of playing time and then 1.5 years later he is one of the most dangerous players on Earth!

[Giggsidan]

I'm pretty into everything. I downloaded a whole set of training schedules for first-team players, youngsters and also ages 30+ for each position and role, but I've altered some to fit individual players etc. I look at and adjust my 3 tactics as needed and usually try and check out my opponents tactics to see if there's any way I can get an advantage. I change and hire/fire scouts and other staff and regularly work them to the bone. I usually ask my trusted assistant's opinion for opposition instructions, though.

I pay more attention to friendlies and pre-season now, trying to give everyone equal playing time and get their match fitness up, whereas in the past I would leave them to my assistant or just play my first-team. I do view match statistics and player ratings and reports for my reserve and U18 games, though I never watch them. And I never watch games of other teams, unless it's something like the Champions League final or World Cup/Euros.

[richiboy1985]

no real need for this thread either is there Cleon?

[alanbiley]

I watch every match in full (takes around an hour) and watch other matches from time to time. I just watched an England U-20's match in order to see how one of my youngsters performed. His performance had been described as 'largely disappointing' in the international report but I thought he did pretty well, so it felt worthwhile! I'm sure that people miss out on a lot by whizzing through a season in a day or two, but equally they get the benefit of getting further into the game, so each to their own.

Playing the way I do doesn't render me a 12-hours-a-day, sitting-in-my-own filth guy (there are other things that lead to that!) because I just don't have the time. I play for a couple of hours every other day or so.

[Soccer]

I am not a totally 'hands-on' manager...these are the things I don't do in FM:

1). Manage my youth team (I leave them to my assistant manager)
2). Sit in matches to scout players personally
3). Design customised training schedules
4). Watch full matches

But I do pretty much everything else.

[ljwjones]

I am not a totally 'hands-on' manager...these are the things I don't do in FM:

1). Manage my youth team (I leave them to my assistant manager)
2). Sit in matches to scout players personally
3). Design customised training schedules
4). Watch full matches

But I do pretty much everything else.

Am in this boat also, those things take up too much time, however if an international manager and in a final i normally watch the other semi to try plan how i can win the final.