FMC15 Save Updates Thread

Me next!

I've led such a sheltered FM life for years, that I've decided to deliberately mess myself up for my next save I always stick to the safe and familiar European shores, and that's just boring. To force myself out of that comfort zone, I have loaded up the top division from the 17 non-European nations only in FMC (51,000 players with a Medium database), and I'll start unemployed with an Automatic Reputation.

If that wasn't enough, I'm also going to force myself away from another comfort blanket (relative tactical aptitude) by playing Instant Result only matches I'm doing that as I want to see how possible it is to get immersed in a save where you aren't overly in control. I had fun with a few Challenges using Instant Result, so I reckon it'll be fine. Will also give me a chance to play with Match Plans.

I've literally just got my first job: Sun Pegasus in the Hong Kong Premier League I'll try and get a game or two in this afternoon before cracking on properly when my kids are asleep tonight!

EDIT - Playing more games than expected this afternoon. This Instant Result idea is great for this save. I started with Sun Pegasus rooted to the bottom of the 9 team Premier League after 6 or 7 games. In our fourth match we won the Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield Have won all of my five games so far. Transfer activity is minimal but entertaining with a limited budget. I might just like this enough to start a full thread!

Just preparing for my 2nd season at Bradford Park Avenue, after winning promotion to the Conference in the first.

Young free agent regen popped up, who looks smashing, but isn't interested in joining me, which is gutting. 15 years old and would walk into my starting 11, yet chances are he'll sit there as a free agent.

Struggling hugely with Dundee in my first season, sitting bottom of the table in early January with just three wins to my name. Got smashed 5-1 away to Dundee United where we were forced to start to a 19-year-old goalkeeper.

I've struggled to find anything which works for us in terms of shape and formation and the Dundee United defeat has left me going back to the drawing board once again - the problem is, I'm running out of drawing boards and resigning from my first job seems increasingly appealing!

Despite my terrible run, although we were predicted to finish 12th, my job is secure and not under any threat. With little indication that we're going to put up any sort of fight against relegation, I am surprised that there hasn't been more speculation on my future.

I was hoping to use the SPL as a stepping stone to bigger and better things with most of the major European leagues loaded but I fear now I will end up resigning and taking a job in the Scottish lower leagues or Ireland. Tought start!

After starting many different saves, I have finally settled on Kaiserslautern in the 2nd German Bundesliga. I used to play with them way back in an older type of football manager and wanted to try not to start in one of the top leagues and bring a club with history back to glory.

I am still in the first season and did some staff and squad adjustments with my EUR 1.15mn transfer budget and my EUR 9.5mn wage budget limitations. My aim is to get to the Bundesliga quickly, then start challenging for the title and then champions league at some point.

I have settled for a 4-3-3 formation with the following line up:

Starting 11:

-------------Sippel-----------

Zimmer--Orban--Heintz--Lowe

-------------Karl-------------

---------Ring----Jenssen-----

Matmour----------------Gaus

------------Lakic------------

"B" Team:

-----------------------Mueller---------------

Riedel/Schulze--Hornschuh--Heubach--Bugera

-----------------------Schulz---------------

-----------------Demirbay----Pokar---------

Rodriguez----------------------------Younes (Fomitschow)

----------------Hofmann/Mugosa------------

Playing a Standard/Flexible game with more direct passing and floated crosses, and more disciplined to get a bit of a counter-attacking style and use my "Target Man" type strikers - but using them "ala Cleon" as DLFs. It is still early but we are doing well. Lost against Bochum in the DFB Pokal, however, after penalties. Intense game.

I cancelled a couple of the loans they had - Occean was on high wages and at most 3rd striker so he went back home packing, as in real life as well. Stoeger wasn't needed either as I had plenty of options that were as good or better. I kept Younes because he and Gaus are great for this level as AML. Brought in another defender in Hornschuh (Dortmund), an AMR in Roberto Rodriguez (St. Gallen) and another DM in Bastian Schulz (who used to play for Kaiserslautern before). This gives me much more depth in the squad and enough cover everywhere. I send the abundance of young strikers out on loan.

Let's see how it goes.

Edit:

One small wrinkle we already had. Sippel's contract expires end of the season. I have around 100k EUR wage budget remaining and tried to extend his contract but his agent wanted to double his salary from EUR 400k to 800k and while he deserves it, I just don't have that kind of money. Negotiations broke down, despite me offering wage rises, and promotion rises, etc. etc. due to the base salary offered being too low. Now I am frantically searching for a goalkeeper to replace him in the future, however, Mueller is 3 1/2 star potential rated by my coaches, so maybe he will be the replacement. There's a good goalkeeper from Norway at the club Odd - Andre Hanssen who I am looking at a possible replacement or rotation to Mueller. 60k EUR fee so far. Might be a good deal.

Just preparing for my 2nd season at Bradford Park Avenue, after winning promotion to the Conference in the first.

Young free agent regen popped up, who looks smashing, but isn't interested in joining me, which is gutting. 15 years old and would walk into my starting 11, yet chances are he'll sit there as a free agent.

After a few months, that regen attracted the big boys attention, and ended up at Liverpool, bah!

Struggling mightily to get players, most saying my squad isn't strong enough for their ambition, so they plod along in the league below me. Bah!

My best CB is a 2* rated 16 year(another free agent regen I found) old my scouts say is only good enough for the Conference North/South. I have a 3.5* rated guy, but he's actually weaker in all the key areas.

Still, 3 games in, 1 win and 2 draws, predicted to finish 24th, looks promising enough to better that.

Forgot to add earlier that I really like the idea of this thread and the link to other story/career threads.

Just thinking, should this thread also be present in the Career Update forum? Maybe the FMC content is at risk of excluding itself too much from the main forums perhaps?

Forgot to add earlier that I really like the idea of this thread and the link to other story/career threads.

Just thinking, should this thread also be present in the Career Update forum? Maybe the FMC content is at risk of excluding itself too much from the main forums perhaps?

Our cunning plan is that this thread in its current location acts as a spur for us FMC guys to have a look at the linked threads, comment in there, and push the FMC content up the Careers page so FMC stuff is often on the front page and near the top. Sneaky

As such, it might indirectly prompt non-FMC users to take a look and maybe consider a quick blast themselves. We'll continue to gauge how effective it is, but will always take on board any feedback from everybody to consider alternative ways of doing things.

Our cunning plan is that this thread in its current location acts as a spur for us FMC guys to have a look at the linked threads, comment in there, and push the FMC content up the Careers page so FMC stuff is often on the front page and near the top. Sneaky

Yeah the start of a takeover.

Takeover sounds good!

Save going well, despite a bafflingly weak defence, and a very uh, average tactic, we sit in 4th in October, finances aren't great, though I still have most of my budgets to spend. In the FA Cup 2nd round, though hope for an easy game there, and a plum away draw in the 3rd. Last year I had Stoke away and made 325k, while not embarrassing myself on the pitch, with a 3-1 loss, respectable with the 6 league difference, and they played their best 11.

I urge everyone to start a career thread, the updates don't have to be elaborate, it's just important they're there.

I'll start one on my next save, tad lat this one, half way through year two.

Bad news in my game, the Great Dane will be out of action.

Finally completed a whole season after walking out on my first two clubs :o

Melbourne City were crowned A-League champions and secured the FFA Cup too

Did you find it harder to get new jobs after walking out on old ones?

Just had this great result, normally we are on the wrong end of a comeback.

Made it to the 3rd round of the cup, drew Wolves away, not sure what kind of payday that will be.

32 games in, narrow lead at the top of the Conference attained, mine to loose now.

Did you find it harder to get new jobs after walking out on old ones?

Not really. I just holidayed, applied for everything and took what I liked

Completed probably 40 matches in one evening, just through using instant result. I could even do a Brazilian season in a reasonable amount of time in this career.

32 games in, narrow lead at the top of the Conference attained, mine to loose now.

That is a fate tempter......

Not really. I just holidayed, applied for everything and took what I liked

Completed probably 40 matches in one evening, just through using instant result. I could even do a Brazilian season in a reasonable amount of time in this career.

When I used to manage in Brazil, I'd always watch the State Championship games on "commentary only" on full speed, but instant result gives it an edge.

Wow, 40 matches. Are you enjoying it with instant results?

I was able to continue one game (yes not 40 ) yesterday again against Bochum. After losing to them in the DFB Pokal on penalties after a 3-3 score, I changed my tactic set up a bit from a 4-3-3 to a 4-1-4-1 and changed by corner instructions a bit (I think I saw RT post somewhere to have people zonally mark the 6 yard box). That helped immensly. Won, not convincingly, but nonetheless 2-1. Bochum were sitting 2nd, now we took their spot. Still early days but that's the spot we need to keep throughout the season.

Zonal marking seems very effective.

Wow, 40 matches. Are you enjoying it with instant results?

It has exceeded my expectations. It reminds me of games like Ultimate Soocer Manager and Premier Manager 3 that I played 20+ years ago. You could just focus on squad building, set up your tactics and fly through games, and this is the same.

I can see that in future, I'll have a full FMC save where I do play in my usual hands-on style, but I'll also have a "fun" Instant Result save where I whizz through seasons. My playing style on the save has developed a little bit. I'm now watching highlights of the goals we concede to see if there is a pattern to goals conceded (there isn't, we just have very average defenders). Anything I spot can be fiddled with tactically and I have made a few minor tweaks to Team Instructions and Mentality as the season developed.

I'm also straying into making the odd TI change ahead of matches based on the AI formation, but I want to avoid this really as it is kind of against the ethos of this save. However, I can see that when I ultimately settle at a club that I really want to develop, that I'll inevitably get more involved - but will stick with Instant Result. I have used default Match Plans a couple of times, but I need to get under the skin of those to get a better understanding of what's going on. On the 5/6 occasions I used it, I didn't lose so it has potential!

That is a fate tempter......

It was a mistake to get over confident, true, but in the end it was just about justified, squeaked over the line 2 points clear of Wycombe.

I had expected us to turn professional instantly upon promotion being sealed, which we haven't, disappointing as I wanted to start trying to pick up players on pro contracts right away.

Box2Box, nicely done.

RT, it seems it makes sense when you play a journeyman career and just want to get to a "more" interesting club. You do instant results until you get there. Or continue perhaps. I can see myself using it when I am not interested in a club but just a career. So far I have always done a "pick a club" then play save. Maybe I will try a journeyman save.

My 'back to basics' strategy at Dundee seems to have had the desired effect - short-term anyway. Recorded back-to-back wins for the first time, including one over Motherwell who were immediately above me so I've now climbed off the bottom of the table above them.

If anybody else braves an Instant Result only save, it would be great to start sharing ideas and experiences about Match Plans.

They are a potentially powerful tool to bridge the gap (to an extent) between pure Instant Result and hands-on tactical control, but there have historically been hardly any questions raised about Match Plans and I confess I have very limited experience of them.

Box2Box, nicely done.

RT, it seems it makes sense when you play a journeyman career and just want to get to a "more" interesting club. You do instant results until you get there. Or continue perhaps. I can see myself using it when I am not interested in a club but just a career. So far I have always done a "pick a club" then play save. Maybe I will try a journeyman save.

Cheers!

I can never do journeyman saves, always end up happy at my 1st, or 2nd club and hang on.

My 'back to basics' strategy at Dundee seems to have had the desired effect - short-term anyway. Recorded back-to-back wins for the first time, including one over Motherwell who were immediately above me so I've now climbed off the bottom of the table above them.

Smashing, hopefully you can keep up this upwardly trend.

So far I have only used instant results for pre-season friendlies if I just want to get the match fitness up. I usually play the first few to check the tactic, then (since I play 10+ friendlies) I just hit the instant result button. Since I usually play weaker teams, I choose that option, play for the win (I think it is called). Not sure what it does. I think you can also set up your own match plan.

I can actually see this being a very hands-off tactical approach. You really set everything up beforehand and set up your match plan then let it play out.

If anybody else braves an Instant Result only save, it would be great to start sharing ideas and experiences about Match Plans.

They are a potentially powerful tool to bridge the gap (to an extent) between pure Instant Result and hands-on tactical control, but there have historically been hardly any questions raised about Match Plans and I confess I have very limited experience of them.

I've done Instant Result saves, or at least used the option extensively during saves, and tbh, I've rarely, if ever touched Match Plans. Perhaps "settle for a draw" if playing a much better team and I'm just IR'ing to avoid having to watch a mauling.

I think you can also set up your own match plan.

You can, you can set different tactical changes to occur (formation, Mentality, Team Instructions (I think) etc.) based on the time of the match and the scoreline.

It's basically like building instructions for different scenarios and hoping that you get the mix right.

It's pretty interesting system, certainly worth exploring.

If anybody else braves an Instant Result only save, it would be great to start sharing ideas and experiences about Match Plans.

I've used Instant Result for friendlies and when I had to replay games after a crash, and once I quit the game by mistake when I switched to windowed mode, I clicked on the little red x box and then in confusion selected wrong option and lost 3 results, though using the instant result got me a 9-3 win over Man City.

Haven't really thought about doing instant result only save, well not until now anyway, at the moment I'm really enjoying my Ledley King career game, always have ideas for other games, would like to do a one club game (but what club?) maybe Tottenham would make sense for me or Dortmund, Luton, Bishop's Stortford, if we had an editor in FMC then I know what I would do for one club game, my original plan was a game on this mode and a game on full fat, can't be doing with full fat, I'd rather go back to an older FM.

If I do eventually decide to start a one club, it will take me a while to decide on the club, so many I would like to manage, if I do then maybe with my current game I could try doing it as instant result only save from then on.

WOW..................................... I like Liverpool.

Well after the previous comeback I posted we have just done this.

Nice idea RT, I could use this one when I'll finally start a proper FMC save.

That time is coming soon as players/media interaction are boring me to death in my ongoing full game save.

Brilliant, now I am gonna lose that result as in the very next game I can't continue as it has stuck like this.

Ouch! That sucks!

I save before, and after every game now.

Ouch! That sucks!

I save before, and after every game now.

It does indeed.

Lost 4 games, well 5 including that Everton game, so have to play both legs with Liverpool again, not sure if I'm gonna play and watch or holiday or instant result or maybe a mixture.

Hate playing games again, the thing that puts me off saving after every game is the time it takes, might have to start doing it though.

Hi! I never normally feel the need to post but now that I see someone is doing a similar kind of game to me, I felt I probably should.

I always use instant results as I always struggled to ever get a save game past Christmas. I'd try everything and always end up stopping. However, I switched to FMC I tried instant results and I was finally able to complete a season! I had several good saves on FM14: I took Luverdense from the bottom Brazilian tier to the first and Alessandria (something like that) from the bottom Italian tier to the top using my simplistic tactics. I had a decent run as Montrose in Scotland but I got murdered in the Scottish Championship because my squad building wasn't great (I never normally get that far in a save).

Quite simply, Instant results made my Football Manager play enjoyable and possible. It does have its own challenges though: my personal favourite came on Fm14 when I was pushing for promotion to Serie A and I lost a game 7-0 at home! (I think I just went to bed and it got better in the morning). You always have to wage wars with your Assistant Manager (it's better on this version) as I remember fighting with him as he has his own favourites which, if left on the bench, will be subbed on ASAP! Resting key players means omitting them from the match day squad or they'll come on at half time half fit!

I experimented a little with match plans but I found the defaults were hit and miss and with the effort it'd take to set up another match plan and the analysis it would take to see if it's working correctly, it's easier not to bother (though I may try in the future again)

This year I've decided to start a save in the bottom Swedish Division with a random team (Ytterby). I'll be instant resulting all the way again!

(Note, I've also tried Quick Pick to increase the speed further but have found the assistant always makes bizarre decisions, never resting anyone until they're almost dying (which inevitably is when the cup Final is!)

Hmm, finally scraped together a pair of acceptable CB's, in two tall blokes who'll stand a bit close to my goalie, when my best, and only defensively aware midfielder decides to retire at the age of 34 to be come a truly terrible manager.

Went pro though, so players from other countries will accept contracts if I can scrounge them up.

Just finished my first season. Finished 8th, as predicted. Nearly got sacked at one stage so have to be pleased.

Did you know that Ytterby has an element of the periodic table named after it?

Great to see this on here. It has definitely perked me up for starting another career thread. However, I have noticed my first career with Ilves has been added to the sticky at the top - sadly I am now about to enter season nine of my ten years, and having only done one season of updates, I wont be doing any more - RT if you want to remove my link, I wont be upset - Just make sure you add my new one when I start it up.

As for my Ilves side - Ill try to keep this as short as possible. In the eight seasons I have been with the club, we have gone from a good first division (2nd division in the Finnish league system) to Finnish Premier Division champions five years in a row. We are now the biggest team in Finland, taking over from HJK who have been meandering in mid table obscurity since our first title. This, alongside two treble winning seasons (Finnish Cup and League Cup) mean we are practically monopolising Finnish football.

In terms of European football, I consider the Champions League group stages as our success. We have some cracking players, but it will not ever compete with the teams at the top table within the next two years. We have made the group stages for the last two years, which has meant the finances are secure, even after a new stadium build.

In terms of players, if you havent had a chance to look at my career thread, I keep a set of rules, that to the main part I have stuck to. One of these is not to sign a player over the age of 21. The only player I have "broke" this rule for was a 23 year old defender who had been with me since the age of 20 on loan - I felt this stuck within my perimeters enough. This has been the main catalyst for growth, with a net gain of £10m over the last eight years on transfers.

Lastly, my update for season eight - Another Finnish Premier League title (32 points clear with a joint record 85 points from 33 games), a 4th League Cup win in a row, but a shock defeat in the quarter finals of the Finnish Cup prevented a "treble treble". Currently finishing the Champions League group stages (Finland runs from January to October) and we are currently bottom with one point from four games (In a group with Juventus, Porto and Olympiakos, this is not a surprise).

The only thing thats missing from this save is an international challenge - Finland have had the same manager since the start (Mixu Paatelainen for anyone who is interested) and he is currently very secure - I have seen enough Finnish youngsters come through to really push the team on, and they are not currently in the squad. Really feel I could push them on, but it looks like I wont get the chance.

Another disappointment is the lack of improvement to the squads facilities - they are poorer than when I started, and the board are happy with their current state - That meant that there is no one in the current first team squad who came through the club - a real shame.

Anyway, thats enough for now!

Great to see this on here. It has definitely perked me up for starting another career thread. However, I have noticed my first career with Ilves has been added to the sticky at the top - sadly I am now about to enter season nine of my ten years, and having only done one season of updates, I wont be doing any more - RT if you want to remove my link, I wont be upset - Just make sure you add my new one when I start it up.

Let me know if / when you embark on a new career and I'll swap the threads round

Great to see this thread getting some traffic, it's exactly what we wanted.

I have replayed the matches I lost earlier and I used the Instant Result.

and the new results are...............

PL, Bristol City (was 3-2) Won 2-1

EL, Liverpool (was 1-3) Drew 1-1

PL, Man Utd (was 1-3) Lost 0-6

EL, Liverpool (was 4-0) Won 2-0 (A 3-1 aggregate win)

PL, Everton (was 2-2) Drew 2-2

Original results in brackets, I tried to get the same outcomes as before in terms of wins and losses, Bristol City & 1st leg against Liverpool took a couple of reloads. It's not ideal but I'm not losing out on a semi-final at this stage because of that, anyway that heavy defeat against Man Utd that I accepted could prove very costly.

Off season is going smashingly. Midfield still a touch shoddy, but some in depth scouring of the world and I've fund some pretty sweet defenders all on frees are their old contracts were amateur or non-contract. One Portuguese CB I reckon will make it to the Premiership(or equivalent), with or without me. Sean Maguire on a free from West Ham too, a coup for a league 2 side, I believe.

Just had one of those games that usually end up as a rage thread on here.

Won't be repeating the heroics, Aston Villa next round.

Hmm, had to sell my top prospect to Ipswich on deadline day, 325k was a smashing piece of business though. Managed to replace him with a first team ready player who should do good, and arrange a permanent transfer of a CB I had on loan from Huddersfield, has leading Championship potential, so surprised he agreed terms to drop to League 2, played in the Conference last season with me for a while too.

Sean Maguire is scoring for fun at this level, and after 9 games, I lead the league again. If I keep this up, I won't be able to keep my facilities at pace, and I'll keep outgrowing my players.