Europa League? where are you?

[BenArsenal]

Well look who's decided to pop by!

How's Gav in the dungeon? 

[mark wilson27]

Right guys with new game coming out this means its time for the 15-1 or however many people are interested sign up I usually run. 

All you guys need to do is pop me a PM to say your interested and a nation we can run it from (must be playable on FM18) and I can get started. 

Obviously I’m in and @WLKRAS will be in as defending champion so thats two. Would need around ten to make it run awhile

cheers Mark

[tenthreeleader]

I'm in, but then you probably knew that.

[BenArsenal]

I'm in too.

I propose the Malaysian Super League. We're all due a Far Eastern adventure...

[salkster2102]

I'm in as usual

[Diego Imposta]

Hello everyone! I never did formally introduce myself. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!

I've been playing on friends computers since the Domark days but probably hardcore on my own setup from '98 onwards, albeit with a handful of versions missed

I really liked jambo98's community formation experiment a few years back so while I'm game for this, what exactly does it entail?

[mark wilson27]

32 minutes ago, Diego Imposta said:

Hello everyone! I never did formally introduce myself. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!

I've been playing on friends computers since the Domark days but probably hardcore on my own setup from '98 onwards, albeit with a handful of versions missed

I really liked jambo98's community formation experiment a few years back so while I'm game for this, what exactly does it entail?

Welcome Diego. Hope your enjoying your time in our little piece of the forum. 

I myself have played Football Manager since the CM days. My favourite version is still FM07 with FM08 coming a close second

[Diego Imposta]

7 minutes ago, mark wilson27 said:

Welcome Diego. Hope your enjoying your time in our little piece of the forum. 

I myself have played Football Manager since the CM days. My favourite version is still FM07 with FM08 coming a close second

The last days before 3D were sumptuous. The golden era. From a quick scan of the cover arts I would say my most played after those two or three are FM10, FM14, and CM97/98 

[mark wilson27]

So we have 

mark wilson27

WLKRAS

tenthreeleader

BenArsenal

salkster2102

Bagpuss

 

CFuller

EvilDave

Leagues:

Malaysian

Hong Kong

Indian

 

[Bagpuss]

GO on then count me in too and what about the Indian leagues assuming its in this version

[CFuller]

I'm in - why not? I'd be happy to manage in the Malaysian leagues as well.

3 hours ago, Diego Imposta said:

The last days before 3D were sumptuous. The golden era. From a quick scan of the cover arts I would say my most played after those two or three are FM10, FM14, and CM97/98 

By far my most-played (and favourite) version from the series is FM13. As far as FM goes, my next most-played is FM17, which is - in my view - the best one yet. The FM18 demo didn't really cut it for me, so I'll give the new game a miss.

I absolutely loved playing CM99/00 and CM00/01 when I was growing up. I'd put them between FM13 and FM17 when it comes to hours played.

Speaking of CM00/01, I've recently thought of a new save idea that I will probably turn into a story. Stay tuned. 

[mark wilson27]

1 hour ago, CFuller said:

 

Speaking of CM00/01, I've recently thought of a new save idea that I will probably turn into a story. Stay tuned. 

Stop teasing us with new CFuller stories 

[CFuller]

Just now, mark wilson27 said:

Stop teasing us with new CFuller stories 

To be fair, it probably won't be ready for a good few months. And I've got nothing else in the pipeline until at least FM19.

[git2thachoppa]

Best part of old FM games like FM 07 is reaching present time and it's like a slightly alternate dimension of 2017, where everything is the same but everyone has lizard tongues and Steve McClaren wins the Premier League with Newcastle United.

I don't know how I feel about a universe where McClaren is a Newcastle legend, Moyes wins the Champions League and Gordon Strachan breaks the Barca/Real dominance in La Liga with a green-hooped side.

[CFuller]

Just now, git2thachoppa said:

Best part of old FM games like FM 07 is reaching present time and it's like a slightly alternate dimension of 2017, where everything is the same but everyone has lizard tongues and Steve McClaren wins the Premier League with Newcastle United.

I don't know how I feel about a universe where McClaren is a Newcastle legend, Moyes wins the Champions League and Gordon Strachan breaks the Barca/Real dominance in La Liga with a green-hooped side.

I feel the same way about my old CM00/01 save. I still can't believe I came across a universe where Lincolnshire had two Premier League teams (Grimsby and Lincoln), yet the city of Manchester had none (City and United were both in Division 1).

Oh yes, and Grimsby won the Champions League. As did Wisla Krakow. Go figure.

[EvilDave]

@mark wilson27 - I'm keen for 15-1, and if we're heading out East would somewhere like Hong Kong work?

[tenthreeleader]

Matters not to me where the save is located, the fun is in the reading.

As for versions, I started playing with CM 01-02, which still has a save on it I want to finish writing someday (on my bucket list.) My favorites now are FM08 (the Ridgway save, which takes another computer to play) and FM 15 (the Cain save, which is just plain fun.)

FM17 is going to be on my list longer than I thought because Salford City is turning out to be a blast and I have one project in mind for FM18 (don't know how much of it I will have time to write, though.)

[mark wilson27]

Guys their are some fixtures midweek for the Predictions League. Sorry I didnt realise

[Panpardus]

Count me into the 15-1 @mark wilson27

 

I don't mind the new version, been giving it a bit of a crack of late and it only has a few small issues for me.

I like the scouting part, but it confused the crap of out of me to start, but now I sort of enjoy it especially at the lower league levels when you have no idea at all how good someone is.

[mark wilson27]

Cheers Panpardus.

So we have 

mark wilson27, WLKRAS, tenthreeleader, BenArsenal, salkster2102, Bagpuss, CFuller, EvilDave, Panpardus, DiegoImposta

Leagues:

Malaysian

Hong Kong

Indian

Anyone else feel free to join

ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE PREDICTIONS LEAGUE HAS SOME GAMES TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT

[WLKRAS]

20 hours ago, mark wilson27 said:

Cheers Panpardus.

So we have 

mark wilson27, WLKRAS, tenthreeleader, BenArsenal, salkster2102, Bagpuss, CFuller, EvilDave, Panpardus, DiegoImposta

Leagues:

Malaysian

Hong Kong

Indian

Anyone else feel free to join

ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE PREDICTIONS LEAGUE HAS SOME GAMES TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Good job you tagged me otherwise I'd have missed this!

[mark wilson27]

To be honest WLKRAS you was in anyway due to winning the last competition

[mark wilson27]

So we have 

mark wilson27, WLKRAS, tenthreeleader, BenArsenal, salkster2102, Bagpuss, CFuller, EvilDave, Panpardus, DiegoImposta, neilhoskins77, Franjo

Leagues:

Malaysian

Hong Kong

Indian

Anyone else feel free to join

[BenArsenal]

OK, just to take a quick moment to go off topic for a bit here. For those who are friends with me on Facebook, you would have read what I posted. Long story short, I got a new job offer, and come the New Year I will be moving to Shanghai, China.

Hopefully I will still be able to come here despite the Great Firewall of China, but if not and I go missing in January, you know why.

Announcement over. Carry on chaps.

[mark wilson27]

50 minutes ago, BenArsenal said:

OK, just to take a quick moment to go off topic for a bit here. For those who are friends with me on Facebook, you would have read what I posted. Long story short, I got a new job offer, and come the New Year I will be moving to Shanghai, China.

Hopefully I will still be able to come here despite the Great Firewall of China, but if not and I go missing in January, you know why.

Announcement over. Carry on chaps.

Yeah sorry I didn't comment on Facebook to you about it. Are you going to be doing the same sort of job over there or have you gone for a complete change of career

[BenArsenal]

24 minutes ago, mark wilson27 said:

Yeah sorry I didn't comment on Facebook to you about it. Are you going to be doing the same sort of job over there or have you gone for a complete change of career

It's still writing but I'll be with a car brand now rather than writing for publications. Or as they say in the industry, going over to the 'other side'.

[mark wilson27]

So we have 

mark wilson27, WLKRAS, tenthreeleader, BenArsenal, salkster2102, Bagpuss, CFuller, EvilDave, Panpardus, DiegoImposta, neilhoskins77, Franjo, SegundiVolante1, JoeyBaldwin

Leagues:

Malaysian, Hong Kong, Indian, Sweden, Norway, Peru, Paraguay

Anyone else feel free to join

[gavrenwick]

Has anybody ever had any success with an eccentric goalkeeper on FM? I am still playing a long term game on FM17 (currently in 2054), but I have always avoided the eccentric types of goalkeeper simply because I feel they cost points. But I signed one, as my lower division side couldn't find anything else, and he has been a real star. Sometimes he is so far out of position that he is being picked up by satellites in space, but his quality is still there, and I just always assumed they were a nightmare because of high eccentricity ratings (his is a full blown 20).

 

A quick bit of research I did on my game, looking just for the eccentricity stat, showed me that these types of goalkeeper always play second fiddle to and are constant bench warmers.

[tenthreeleader]

Never signed one, but if there were ever to be a successful player of that type, you could bet we would discover them on these boards.

[git2thachoppa]

I don't recall ever having a real problem with eccentric keepers on my games.

I learned it was Aerial Ability that was the crucial stat (as well as Agility and Balance needing to be 20/20). He could have 18+ everywhere else but with 10 aerial ability he'd be hit and miss on whether he'd be good for anywhere above Championship level. But this is 10 years ago.

[gavrenwick]

41 minutes ago, git2thachoppa said:

I don't recall ever having a real problem with eccentric keepers on my games.

I learned it was Aerial Ability that was the crucial stat (as well as Agility and Balance needing to be 20/20). He could have 18+ everywhere else but with 10 aerial ability he'd be hit and miss on whether he'd be good for anywhere above Championship level. But this is 10 years ago.

I found that the ones with the most play time were always in non-league football, and a quick look again showed me that one goalkeeper was playing for Bristol City, 16 eccentricity (and decent keeping stats every where else), spent nine seasons at Spurs and didn't make a single league appearance. Manchester United had one, still only 24, very similar to the other guy, appeared once for England, but in six years hadn't managed to get out of the U-23's.

 

The rest of them just don't seem to succeed. Bizarre really. I couldn't be without mine. My side have made it to the Championship, and he has been there every step of the way, and now I feel obliged to take him to the Premiership. 

[mark wilson27]

Just need one more person for the 15-1 sign up then I have the full set up..

First person up gets the spot

[mark wilson27]

On a separate note I have updated the FMS Archives with more of the stories. If anyone thinks I've missed anything let me know.

Also some of the bio's are out of date so if anyone wants to write a bio for anyone feel free and PM me and I'll add it 

Cheers

[git2thachoppa]

Bios eh? How about for me:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

After almost a decade of playing one save of FM 2007, git2thachoppa debuts on this forum by going back in time and not only telling his story starting from the bottom, but the story of global football in a fully loaded and simulated world.

Applying realism to his in-game choices, watch as he travels across the globe overseeing club and international football, trying to make a name (and retirement funds) for himself, achieving global infamy before he's even won a real trophy, getting sacked a lot, and losing to the Faroe Islands.

And see what FM predicts would happen elsewhere; do Barcelona, Spain, Klopp, Pep, Messi and Ronaldo still rise, or is it Newcastle United, Iraq, Lord Bendtner and Sir Steve McClaren?

He's still trying to find the right writing style with the right balance of detail and digestibility(?), but git2thachoppa is no doubt a top performer in story writing as much as he is in the bedroom.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

And then maybe others can edit it and cut it down, if anyone is still reading or questions my bedroom ability.

[WLKRAS]

On 12/2/2017 at 23:37, mark wilson27 said:

On a separate note I have updated the FMS Archives with more of the stories. If anyone thinks I've missed anything let me know.

Also some of the bio's are out of date so if anyone wants to write a bio for anyone feel free and PM me and I'll add it 

Cheers

I'd like to think The Outcast (https://community.sigames.com/topic/252163-the-outcast/) is worthy of a spot in the archives?

[mark wilson27]

@WLKRAS The Outcast has been added to the Archives. 

Thanks

[mark wilson27]

Last chance to join the 15-1 sign up. Or should I say at the moment 14-1. 

I'm going to be sorting the database out tomorrow when i wake up

[JayR2003]

@mark wilson27, count me in for the (now) 15-1.

[mark wilson27]

3 hours ago, JayR2003 said:

@mark wilson27, count me in for the (now) 15-1.

Sorry to say the sign up is closed. Currently running into the second season. There will be an international on in a few months due to the World Cup

[JayR2003]

So close...next time.

[BenArsenal]

Here's a moral dilemma of a question.

It seems like these days, teams tend to have one 'star' to build their team around. Real Madrid has Ronaldo, Barcelona Messi, Spurs Kane, Man U Pogba, etc etc. And they are supported by a cast of slightly lower level (but still capable) set of players in the team.

Now I know this is quite an evil and nasty thought, but there's really nothing to stop a cynical opposing manager from sending out an 'enforcer' to 'do one' on these stars, putting them out of commission and completely derailing that team's season (or beyond) by crippling their main star.

I mean, what are the consequences really? The 'enforcer' gets a lengthy ban, but will probably still be available way before the star player is back. And if the manager is ultra cynical he can use a reserve player who's not in his first team plans anyway to do the deed so there's be no huge loss. And it'll be hard to prove premeditation on the manager's part.

For the team on the receiving end it'll be a major blow however to lose such a vital cog to their team. And this of course benefits other teams as well.

It's obviously quite an evil game of devil's advocate, but it's just something I sorta thought about after seeing how teams are so dependent on their stars these days. My thinking is it would be far better to have a team that can do the business without the need to rely on one single player too much (like Bayern Munich or even Man City currently), certainly to avoid situations like these.

[git2thachoppa]

RE: Whether eccentric keepers are worth it.

On my older FM anyway, I now have a non-eccentric keeper who is 7+ average rating and a young 'better' keeper with about 15 eccentricity.

The young eccentric has made a couple of daft errors leading to goals (though perhaps not errors the game recognises), such as passing dodgily or rushing out for a set piece to a distant player so the attacker on the near post has an open goal to tap in. However he has otherwise been brilliant, about 7.25 average rating, he is being our De Gea.

He got injured so now the non-eccentric is getting a long run. But while he too has saved games, he's also still made a couple of mistakes.

So my conclusion is that a top but eccentric keeper is 3 steps forward 1 step back, a regular good keeper is 1 step forward 1 back. Eccentrics will lose you points but win you more, and you just have to accept it. Find it endearing. They are the most entertaining footballers after all.

 

35 minutes ago, BenArsenal said:

Here's a moral dilemma of a question.

It seems like these days, teams tend to have one 'star' to build their team around. Real Madrid has Ronaldo, Barcelona Messi, Spurs Kane, Man U Pogba, etc etc. And they are supported by a cast of slightly lower level (but still capable) set of players in the team.

Now I know this is quite an evil and nasty thought, but there's really nothing to stop a cynical opposing manager from sending out an 'enforcer' to 'do one' on these stars, putting them out of commission and completely derailing that team's season (or beyond) by crippling their main star.

I mean, what are the consequences really? The 'enforcer' gets a lengthy ban, but will probably still be available way before the star player is back. And if the manager is ultra cynical he can use a reserve player who's not in his first team plans anyway to do the deed so there's be no huge loss. And it'll be hard to prove premeditation on the manager's part.

For the team on the receiving end it'll be a major blow however to lose such a vital cog to their team. And this of course benefits other teams as well.

It's obviously quite an evil game of devil's advocate, but it's just something I sorta thought about after seeing how teams are so dependent on their stars these days. My thinking is it would be far better to have a team that can do the business without the need to rely on one single player too much (like Bayern Munich or even Man City currently), certainly to avoid situations like these.

Football is different now. What you're describing is close to what was normal for every match up until the mid-90s when players started being protected, starting with the ban on the tackle from behind. When the Maradona/Messi comparison is made, some people say Maradona was better solely because he would have to deal with 2, 3, an entire team of giant people trying to end his career just to stop him. Now you can't do that, as a stiff challenge gets you a warning, and a couple more will get you a yellow then a red.

Although the approach you describe would require the manager and people involved to be sociopaths who don't care about the wellbeing of their fellow humans, and I hope your thoughts just stem from a video game with lifeless bits of code who you can abuse how you want rather than thinking seriously about it in a real world situation. Otherwise you become the bad guy from Karate Kid.

The intent would certainly be obvious, but the player would get the blame, the manager would get off free. So you're asking a player to risk going to prison or being sued millions as well as be blacklisted by every major club by attacking or crippling another human being because his manager told him. Never mind Karate Kid, that's gone all the way to A Few Good Men.

I don't think many managers plan to have one star player, but it can turn out that way. Ronaldo and Messi are kinda exceptions though as they're two of the greatest players ever. But still, if you took them out, I bet you'd still lose, they're not one-man teams but rather the glamorous names or brands.

[BenArsenal]

On a similar tangent, I'm thinking the punishment for such an offence doesn't seem to be commensurate with the effects of a long term injury to the opponent. So it's probably a matter of time before some deranged manager weighs up the risks and decides that it's a worthy cause of action to take.

I've seen suggestions elsewhere that players should be banned for the same amount of time the opponent is out injured for, which sounds reasonable to me. Perhaps to stretch it further, a career-ending injury results in a lifetime ban, or at least, a full season. And perpetrators will be unpaid for the duration of the ban. Maybe their wages can be channelled towards the rehabilitation of the victim.

It's just thoughts on what can be done to curb cynical actions on the football field. Going out to intentionally injure an opponent is certainly wrong, but I feel there has to be much greater punishment than there currently is to prevent those in the game from even entertaining such thoughts.

[salkster2102]

Just ask how Alf-Inge Haland feels about Roy Keane.

[BenArsenal]

1 hour ago, salkster2102 said:

Just ask how Alf-Inge Haland feels about Roy Keane.

Exactly. And I thought Keane got off lightly for his behaviour.

[mark wilson27]

Remember guys that their is a FRIDAY night game this weeks predictions league.

@salkster2102 you need to send in your predictions via PM

 

[BenArsenal]

I know this is a football forum, but we're also all friends here, and I just want to say my move to China is in a couple days and I'm **** scared but excited all the same.

If the forums aren't blocked in China then I'll see you guys soon. If it is, then thanks for everything guys.

[CFuller]

3 hours ago, BenArsenal said:

I know this is a football forum, but we're also all friends here, and I just want to say my move to China is in a couple days and I'm **** scared but excited all the same.

If the forums aren't blocked in China then I'll see you guys soon. If it is, then thanks for everything guys.

I believe a few users on these forums are based in China, so I don't think you'll have to worry too much about that. Hope the move goes well, and hopefully we'll see you again soon.

[mark wilson27]

Merry Christmas everyone hope you all have a great day

[salkster2102]

Merry Christmas everyone!