FM Training Planner Tool: Updated for FM21

[FMathlete]

Welcome in to a quick update on the new and improved FM Training Planner Tool that I've updated for FM21 (download link below).

N.B. This tool was initially created for FM19 (read the original blog post here) and was updated by fellow content creator Pedroig for FM20.

As I mentioned above, I originally created the tool for FM19 when the Football Manager series saw a significant overhaul to the Training module in the game. It's fair to say that while the changes to Training in FM were very welcome, they were also a little daunting and I found myself struggling to work out which sessions I should be scheduling for my players.

Aside from the obvious impacts on their health and happiness, I was also finding it hard to keep track of which attributes were being worked on in each session and I realised how much easier it would be to understand, if I could distil everything down to numbers. And so that's what I did.

The Training Planner Tool is housed in an Excel Workbook and includes a replica Schedule template, similar to what you'll find in the game. The difference though, is that as you add the various training sessions into the planner, you'll see a readout below it of which attributes and other impacts are being affected.

Using the on-screen feedback (see screenshots), and through a bit of tinkering with your schedule, you should be able to create a plan that meets your criteria. Whether there are specific attributes you want your team to work on, or you're taking a more holistic view and are trying to cram as many attributes in as you can, hopefully this tool will be a help to you.

I'd like to reiterate that this tool has been prepared independently of SI and FM and it is entirely my own interpretation of how I understand the training modules to work. Therefore, I could very well be completely wrong so please use your own judgement as well.

As always, please share your feedback here, on Twitter, or on Slack, especially if you notice anything that seems wrong or needs recalculating.

What's New

The biggest change to this version is the inclusion of the Set Piece training which I omitted from the FM19 version and then never got round to adding it in. I know that Pedroig had a bash at adding the Set Pieces in for FM20 but for the sake of making all the maths consistent, I ended up starting again on that section.

Elsewhere, I've corrected a few errors and bugs that I found and I hope everything is now working as it should be.

Creating the Tool

To begin with, I copied over the details for each training module and session into a spreadsheet, with the list of attributes and other impacts down one side, and across the top i included the session name, the unit being trained and the percentage of intensity that the unit is experiencing for the session.

Where an attribute or impact is mentioned i put "Yes", otherwise it was left blank and for the Health impacts such as condition, fatigue, happiness etc. I used the same phrasing as the game i.e. increased, reduced etc.

From here i then allocated a numerical value to each impact. I replaced "Yes" with a 1, and then gave the health impacts a 0.1 or -0.1 for "slightly increased/reduced", 0.2 or -0.2 for "increased/reduced" and a 0.3 or -0.3 for "greatly increased/reduced".

How it Works

With the data now in a numerical state, i created three more sheets, two for where we could do some of the maths and the other as the "front" sheet where the user enters the sessions they want to to run each day.

On the first maths sheet, I've allocated a multiplier that takes into account how many attributes/impacts are being worked on in the session. In other words, the less attributes in the session, the higher the affect on them. This led to some sessions having an unrealistic weighting where only 1 or 2 attributes were being worked on and so for these, i added a handicap so that the data on the front sheet is easier to compare.

The second maths sheet takes the result of the calculations for each attribute/impact above and multiplies it by the level of intensity that that training unit experienced in the session. So, for example, in the "Attacking Wings" session, our Attacker unit operate at a 60% intensity level, while our Goalkeeper and Defender units operate at 20%. Therefore, the Attackers attributes are improved more than the Goalkeepers or Defenders.

User Interface

On the front sheet is a schedule that mimics the one in the game. You simply click on a session slot and then use the drop down arrow to select your session from the list.

Below the schedule is a table that totals up the affects on each attribute or impact for the different units. The more sessions you add to the schedule, the greater the affect. This gives you a quick visual of which attributes are being worked on most, and which ones are being neglected, allowing you to make the necessary adjustments to get it just right.

Interpreting the Data

One important point to make when reading the data, is that the numbers are all interdependent, and are not showing what the actual increase of the attribute will be. I.e. where Aerial Reach has a 1.4 for Goalkeepers, this is not saying that this attribute will increase by 1.4, but rather that there is a relative affect to the value of 1.4, compared to say, an affect on First Touch of only 0.4.

The example table (see screenshots) gives us a good snapshot of the affects this schedule will have on the players. Using the averages at the bottom, i can instantly see that it doesn't include much affect on Physical attributes, and the Goalkeepers won't see much affect either. In terms of the other impacts, there's not much going on for Tactical Familiarity, but plenty of Team Cohesion which is good.

From here, i can adjust the schedule to change which attributes are being worked on. For example, I might throw an Endurance session in to bump up the physical attribute training, or remove Team Bonding to reduce the affects on Teamwork and Team Cohesion.

The Gaps

There will be "hidden" effects of training that aren't explicitly called out in the session descriptions and therefore, have not been factored into the tool. An obvious example is that player fitness will increase with training and match practice and so I have not assigned a value for how much attributes like Stamina might be affected by a player simply going to training, regardless of what the session entails.

Choosing "Match" as a session will display the same attribute changes as Match Practice. In fact, i would assume that the intensity of a real match is much higher and therefore the effects may be different, but I've not factored that in (yet).

Finally, there's also no correlation to Individual Training and how this will impact on the players development in the long run either.

Feedback

As always, please share your feedback here, on Twitter, or on Slack, especially if you notice anything that seems wrong or needs recalculating.

Download

DOWNLOAD THE FM TRAINING PLANNER TOOL HERE

[Egecann]

Thanks for the effort 

[Amarante]

This needs to get pinned

[04texag]

I agree, it's good stuff. I used it yesterday to build some schedules and about to link to this thread from one of my own.

[palmamiguel92]

Oh this is brillliant

[aktour]

Could anyone help me out?  From my area can not download the training planner.  Anyone could send a mail attachment ? 

Many thanks!

Email: aktour@outlook.com 

Edited December 3, 2020 by aktour

[kertiek]

no match preview/review?

 

great tool

[FMathlete]

On 03/12/2020 at 06:38, kertiek said:

no match preview/review?

 

great tool

Hey @kertiek, good spot. I've updated the file to now include the impacts of the Match Preview and Match Review sessions. You can download the newest version from the link above.

[FMathlete]

On 03/12/2020 at 05:37, aktour said:

Could anyone help me out?  From my area can not download the training planner.  Anyone could send a mail attachment ? 

Many thanks!

Email: aktour@outlook.com 

Hey @aktour - just sent you an email with the attachment.

[kertiek]

@FMathlete

was playing around with the tool and i have a interesting problem, if i follow the data that the tool gives me according to these two types of  trainings, is far more better to train physical for the whole preseason because i should get far better results in acceleration agility and pace than training only quickness.

handicap: "Some sessions will only affect 1 or 2 attributes/impacts and this gives them an unrealistic weighting in comparison to the other sessions. As such, a handicap has been applied to any session that only affects 3 or less attributes, making the data easier to read and compare."

after looking the hidden sheets, math, formulas and everything under the hood, this is due the "handicap", quickness and endurance are the only physical sessions affected by the handicap all other sessions that are affected are in the match training category  (match tactics, match teamwork), each of the set pieces sessions  [sometimes only a specific unit] and both of extra-curricular ones.

maybe consider removing the handicap for quickness and endurance since at least for physical stats the handicap gives non realistic results when compared with other physical trainings.

example of the current values:

endurance:

 quickness

 

vs

physical

resistance:

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2020 by kertiek

[reggerbob]

I've noticed General Possession training on this tool shows more affect for Def than Att, despite the training being for all outfield players. Why is this?

[Robbo4891]

Hi so first thing does it not come with the spread sheet of modules showing what attributes they affect, i have used this before for FM20 but lost it and needed to download it again but i remember also having the spread sheet which makes it easier to look for what module was best for the attribute/attributes you wanted to use before adding them to the schedule?

 

Also something i don't understand why does Match Tactics only have small effect on decisions & teamwork when it says it's 100% and only impacting on 2 attributes but Attacking Shadow Play has a greater effect on them even tho it's only 60% and spread over several more attributes?

Thanks.

[Hovis Dexter]

Hi @FMathlete I'm finding this planner really useful so many thanks for sharing it with us. When @Pedroig issued his update for FM20 he included a fourth row which which reported the intensity of each day's training which I found very helpful ... I don't know if this was included in your original version for FM19. If you decide to update the planner for FM22 I'd like to suggest and request the inclusion of a fourth row detailing the daily training intensity.

[FMathlete]

On 18/10/2021 at 11:43, Hovis Dexter said:

Hi @FMathlete I'm finding this planner really useful so many thanks for sharing it with us. When @Pedroig issued his update for FM20 he included a fourth row which which reported the intensity of each day's training which I found very helpful ... I don't know if this was included in your original version for FM19. If you decide to update the planner for FM22 I'd like to suggest and request the inclusion of a fourth row detailing the daily training intensity.

Thanks @Hovis Dexter. I am working on a 2022 version of the planner and will look at including the intensity line as well.

[Hovis Dexter]

1 hour ago, FMathlete said:

Thanks @Hovis Dexter. I am working on a 2022 version of the planner and will look at including the intensity line as well.

That would be brilliant

[zhantu777]

Hello, could you send me the file by mail, please? I tried to download, but it was written that the author deleted it. 

oloxbadanov@gmail.com

thank you in advance