Is It Normal to Spend Several Hours Learning the Team (i.e. Players, Staff, Finances, etc.)?

[LyghtWayve]

So, now that I have a much better understanding of the game, I just started a Stoke City save which will be my long-term save.  I am finding myself spending a few hours reviewing the players, staff, tactics and toying around with things before I even advance one day - 😳😀.  I am literally still on the first day.  Is that normal?  I am wondering if everyone else does that.  On YouTube you often see folks change a few things then they are off onto the first game.

[Wavelberry]

My first pre-season tends to last ages. Gotta sign staff and set tactics and make sure people are training as I want. FMs glory is that you can play any way you like and it's fine.

[samdiatmh]

the youtubers tend to do all that stuff off-camera (because it's not exactly the best to watch)

 

my first preseason tends to take AGES, because I'm developing a tactic, signing new players, changing the staff (it's all time consuming)
second season, I'm fairly happy, so it's just a "yep, next" into the first game of the season - maybe some transfer stuff if it needs to happen (but I tend to do all my business early, so normally outside the window)

[Rashidi]

23 minutes ago, LyghtWayve said:

So, now that I have a much better understanding of the game, I just started a Stoke City save which will be my long-term save.  I am finding myself spending a few hours reviewing the players, staff, tactics and toying around with things before I even advance one day - 😳😀.  I am literally still on the first day.  Is that normal?  I am wondering if everyone else does that.  On YouTube you often see folks change a few things then they are off onto the first game.

Someone once remarked I take an eternity to do everything when I start a new save. It also depends on how well you know the club. Some people have played the club before and know exactly what to do, for others its a club they may support so their background knowledge helps. Personally speaking the more comprehensive I am at the start, the easier it becomes later.

Having said that there are also times when I speed through the first save.  This can happen by delegating everything to the assistant manager and sending the team on holiday while waiting for your first league match,  accepting your squad and waiting till the January transfer window to enhance it. 

So it depends entirely on you.

[2feet]

Is It Normal to Spend Several Hours Learning the Team

No

Is It Normal to Spend Several Years Learning the Team

Yes

[cruiseylee]

No its not normal. I spend days

[Tom 99]

35 minutes ago, LyghtWayve said:

So, now that I have a much better understanding of the game, I just started a Stoke City save which will be my long-term save.  I am finding myself spending a few hours reviewing the players, staff, tactics and toying around with things before I even advance one day - 😳😀.  I am literally still on the first day.  

I'm spending tons of hours on the first day. I analyse every player, I develop a tactic, I make an individual training schedule for every player, I'm looking for new staff, I manage scouting and so on. I love this. 

[Matt ex SEGA]

59 minutes ago, LyghtWayve said:

So, now that I have a much better understanding of the game, I just started a Stoke City save which will be my long-term save.  I am finding myself spending a few hours reviewing the players, staff, tactics and toying around with things before I even advance one day - 😳😀.  I am literally still on the first day.  Is that normal?  I am wondering if everyone else does that.  On YouTube you often see folks change a few things then they are off onto the first game.

I've always done this, honestly.  I actually like the first part of taking over a club and seeing what you can improve quickly versus what'll take time.  I tend to change jobs a somewhat unreasonable amount because after a few seasons, I'm looking for the fresh challenge.

Only time I might not do all of this on day one is if I manage Luton where I have a handle on what's what already and where I tend to stay longer, so I'm in less of a hurry to change stuff.  Oh and historically because they've had no money to do stuff with anyway - still getting used to this Championship idea...:)

[FrazT]

1 hour ago, LyghtWayve said:

So, now that I have a much better understanding of the game, I just started a Stoke City save which will be my long-term save.  I am finding myself spending a few hours reviewing the players, staff, tactics and toying around with things before I even advance one day - 😳😀.  I am literally still on the first day.  Is that normal?  I am wondering if everyone else does that.  On YouTube you often see folks change a few things then they are off onto the first game.

Who defines normal?  Each user will play the game their own way to get the maximum enjoyment out of it and if that what works for you, it is normal.

[LyghtWayve]

Thanks for all the responses here...I know I am on the right track now :-)

[Icy]

For me is even worse, as to get fully immersed in my game, when I take over a team I also research a lot in internet about it.

I read the Wikipedia about the team, about the city, search for articles about the tactics used in the current or last season, search for articles about the players, visit social media and forums about the team, etc. 

So when I start playing, I’m almost a fan of the team in real life.

 I have started a save now with Crewe Alexandra and I’m already a fan of the team and I bet I know more about it that some long time fans and can discuss about the lineups etc in fan forums.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Icy

[DementedHammer]

That was my beta burner save where I already knew the squad relatively well. In that time I played the intra-squad friendly and one pre-season friendly. (Admittedly, I play full matches, so that'd be around three hours of game time.) 

[RioImmagina]

I usually spend 6 hours Before pushing the space bar for the first time

[anagain]

It takes me around a month to play a season - unless I have time off work - so what's a few hours (or days) doing the first pre-season? 

[KingCanary]

If you're enjoying it then its normal!

[Lindhoffen]

I spend several days sorting out the UI, the team, my staff, finding players, sorting out tactics etc etc. Once that is finished, I start playing the actual game. There are no shortcuts to become the best manager in the world and the sooner you get on board with this fact, the easier life will be for you. 

[RKM]

6 hours ago, Icy said:

For me is even worse, as to get fully immersed in my game, when I take over a team I also research a lot in internet about it.

I read the Wikipedia about the team, about the city, search for articles about the tactics used in the current or last season, search for articles about the players, visit social media and forums about the team, etc. 

So when I start playing, I’m almost a fan of the team in real life.

 I have started a save now with Crewe Alexandra and I’m already a fan of the team and I bet I know more about it that some long time fans and can discuss about the lineups etc in fan forums.

I do the same. 

Yesterday I made a list of teams in notepad that I wanted to be as a first save. I usually have a look at the The Guardian as they have a few articles on teams who are overachieving in the european leagues. ex. La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Bundesliga, etc. 

I discovered that Rennes have some really good young players from their academy, a good manager and a billionaire owner. 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/nov/02/rennes-have-what-it-takes-to-become-psgs-biggest-challenger-in-ligue-1

Here are a few more articles on Sassuolo & AC Monza, owned by former AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/nov/02/de-zerbi-keep-ball-lays-foundations-for-sassuolo-famous-win-at-napoli-serie-a
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53877763

[Dean Gripton]

14 hours ago, LyghtWayve said:

So, now that I have a much better understanding of the game, I just started a Stoke City save which will be my long-term save.  I am finding myself spending a few hours reviewing the players, staff, tactics and toying around with things before I even advance one day - 😳😀.  I am literally still on the first day.  Is that normal?  I am wondering if everyone else does that.  On YouTube you often see folks change a few things then they are off onto the first game.

As someone who works on the game (research), I am one of the slowest FMers you will find. 

I spend HOURS on all that stuff, especially as I nearly always play as a team I don't know in a country I am not familiar with the player names and the data.  But even when I do play a save in England, I still take ages looking at everyone's U23 teams (for possible loans) etc., as well as working out who each of my first-team and U23s are (not so much the U18s, but I do check them out briefly). 

To be honest, it's the bit I enjoy the most.

Enjoy your Stoke save!

[Junkhead]

14 hours ago, LyghtWayve said:

So, now that I have a much better understanding of the game, I just started a Stoke City save which will be my long-term save.  I am finding myself spending a few hours reviewing the players, staff, tactics and toying around with things before I even advance one day - 😳😀.  I am literally still on the first day.  Is that normal?  I am wondering if everyone else does that.  On YouTube you often see folks change a few things then they are off onto the first game.

It is for me mate. Takes hours and hours.

Don't worry about "normal" though - just enjoy your game ☺️

[craiigman]

My usual play through consists of setting everything up for 5 hours, smashing all the friendlies, losing first competitive game of the season, scrapping everything, and crying myself to sleep.

[LyghtWayve]

11 hours ago, Icy said:

For me is even worse, as to get fully immersed in my game, when I take over a team I also research a lot in internet about it.

I read the Wikipedia about the team, about the city, search for articles about the tactics used in the current or last season, search for articles about the players, visit social media and forums about the team, etc. 

So when I start playing, I’m almost a fan of the team in real life.

 I have started a save now with Crewe Alexandra and I’m already a fan of the team and I bet I know more about it that some long time fans and can discuss about the lineups etc in fan forums.

That's good to know.  I might do that for my Stoke City save.

10 hours ago, DementedHammer said:

That was my beta burner save where I already knew the squad relatively well. In that time I played the intra-squad friendly and one pre-season friendly. (Admittedly, I play full matches, so that'd be around three hours of game time.) 

How do you play full matches?  Is that a setting where you choose the type (e.g. Comprehensive, etc.) of highlights to see?

7 hours ago, Lindhoffen said:

I spend several days sorting out the UI, the team, my staff, finding players, sorting out tactics etc etc. Once that is finished, I start playing the actual game. There are no shortcuts to become the best manager in the world and the sooner you get on board with this fact, the easier life will be for you. 

Increasingly, I am looking at more details - like the team report to inform my decisions.

4 hours ago, Dean Gripton said:

As someone who works on the game (research), I am one of the slowest FMers you will find. 

I spend HOURS on all that stuff, especially as I nearly always play as a team I don't know in a country I am not familiar with the player names and the data.  But even when I do play a save in England, I still take ages looking at everyone's U23 teams (for possible loans) etc., as well as working out who each of my first-team and U23s are (not so much the U18s, but I do check them out briefly). 

To be honest, it's the bit I enjoy the most.

Enjoy your Stoke save!

As someone who came over from FIFA/PES, I at first used to think the most important thing was when the players were playing on the field.  Slowly I began to realize that everything is "the game".  So even something like spending an entire afternoon on individual training feels rewarding.

3 hours ago, craiigman said:

My usual play through consists of setting everything up for 5 hours, smashing all the friendlies, losing first competitive game of the season, scrapping everything, and crying myself to sleep.

😂😂😂😂😂

[HUNT3R]

Whenever someone asks "is it normal" the answer is almost always "NO". In this case, I call it dedication.

Pre-season for me lasts a long time since I always start with an unknown team at the bottom league of a country or I start unemployed with no rep or qualifications. Takes time to review your squad and staff, find other transfer targets, set up a tactic for these strangers etc

[craiigman]

On 25/11/2020 at 14:38, craiigman said:

My usual play through consists of setting everything up for 5 hours, smashing all the friendlies, losing first competitive game of the season, scrapping everything, and crying myself to sleep.

I may not have lost the first game this time, it was 1-1 vs team in division below, but I did lose the 2nd game.