I have a confession

[jcp1417]

It's actually rather silly. I have never managed a top flight team until this weekend. Since I began playing FM back in version 15, my goal has always been to bring up a conference team up to the PL or I get into some county league. The thought of starting at the top seemed boring to me. For various reasons, I can never get more than 5 seasons in a singe save before the next version comes out. But this weekend I started yet another lower league save and suddenly the thought of all the hours needed, the frustration of not getting work permits, and the extra attention needed for lower league finances seemed too daunting. Perhaps that combined with my feelings of nostalgia from when I lived in Stuttgart, Germany as an American for 3 years, I started a new game and took over for VfB Stuttgart!

All I can say is wow. In the second match of my Bundesliga career, we were playing Bayern Munich away and we held them even for most of the first half. Then right before halftime, Mario Gomez puts one into the back of the net with a header! Despite a very passionate halftime talk, we get drilled into for 2 goals. Then during stoppage time, Daniel Divavi blasted in a free kick to get us the draw against Bayern freaking Munich! It was insane. Definitely more intense than any Conference South promotion playoff game I've ever been apart of. Combined with the fact that I can actually use some advanced tactics or target legitimately great players, I think I will be playing this way for a while.

[phnompenhandy]

Good on ya bud. I've not taken a top-flight side since trialling demos back in CM days, I think. I sometimes watch youtube vids of Premier League games and the speed and accuracy blows me away. Must be a whole different ball-game, but I do prefer the hapless plonkers of part-time football myself.

[Snorks]

I know exactly what you mean. I play Journeyman saves, usually only one per year. I 'let the game decide a team' for me, or go through some long-convoluted way of deciding a random team -" Hey kids? Give me a number between 1 and 24?" - but usually end up in German third, League 2 or below (especially as I often have a level 10 or below database running) or some other lower level.

FM18 threw me an AC MIlan save at the start - I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Quality youth coming through, top facilities great football and players that followed instructions tactically. 

That save saw me win Europa League, Serie A, Premier League twice (Liverpool), FA Cup and semi-final of Champions League in five seasons.

Winning leagues I have done before, but the FA Cup Final - man, I can see why there are legends about people dressing up in a suit for them,. Really felt like something special.\

Currently, on FM19, I am leading the great Sheffield United to Championship glory! Although I am not sure how long this will last - that lime-green away kit is driving me insane lol.

[FlorianAlbert9]

I use always take MTK in Hungary. 

It's very hard to win in Europe 'csuse you can win easily in Hungary After some season, but the level of nation stay low, so you have always sell players.

That's not a problem itself but i think that SI have to put in game some code that once you become too strong for your division at least one other team get many money and buy good player to stay at your level.

 

The only very boring thing is that level of your youth stay very low. 

In 30 years i see a total of not more of 20 player stronger the ones at start in all nation. (And only 2 that can compete for a First in my team).

Get the maximum level in youth Academy should be harder but at the same time you should get better player then ones you have at start with midium facilities.