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[Simzyy]

League Form... P6, W1, D1, L4.

Looks like I can't manager Liverpool after all. Looking forward to seeing what happens when I get sacked, haha.

I assume you went straight to managing Liverpool as an inexperienced manager.

I always find that players just disrespect you at big clubs if you don't have experience. Making team talks, player chats and just everything harder. Always better to work your way up imo. After like two promotions from League 1 up I got a job offer at Lyon and from there got to Chelsea.

Spoiler

the best team

 

[Nyx]

The struggles of a big club manager came last night when I played some more with Liverpool.

Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho both came to me asking for a leave because they want to play Champions League, told them they should wait till the end of the season as we can get CL too and they accepted, but if we don’t qualify I will lose 2 of my best players…
Also, as the squad is big and has lots of good players, some of them don’t get as much playtime as they would like, so Origi and Lallana started complaining…

Keeping everybody happy, including the board, is a lot more challenging than when I was with Utrecht.

 

[Crema]

I just quit FM today after an embarrassingly long career managing Skeid in Norway. They were in the depths of the Norwegian leagues (former FM god Daniel Braathen has long left the club) but after many wasted hours of my life we finally won the Champions League. I could tell things were getting absurd when New Zealand won the World Cup that year (without any interference on my part too).

 

[RulkezX]

4th season with Spurs and only a Europa Final, CL Semi and League Cup to show for it.

Anyone had success with Gill Romero? His stats are insane but really struggling to get the most out of him.

 

[Nyx]

4th season with Spurs and only a Europa Final, CL Semi and League Cup to show for it.

Anyone had success with Gill Romero? His stats are insane but really struggling to get the most out of him.

I don't even know him, this is my first FM15 game so I don't know all the usual suspects yet.

 

[industrian]

CM and FM have taken up a sizeable portion of my life. The first time I played it was the CM2 with Scottish leagues. Then I got CM3, and all I remember about that was using the editor to update seasonal changes in Scottish leagues - and Aberdeen won the UEFA Cup with Ebbe Skovdahl as manager (when in reality he was a disaster).

I played my 99/00 game until the wheels came off (or, when a hard drive failure killed my save game in January 2003):

And until 2008 played it (more or less) every year. I still remember being fucking blown away by the 2D match engine. That shit was next gen, dawg.

Then I left the UK and moved to Asia, and only had a sub-par laptop to play games. Which meant no FM. But after getting a fairly decent laptop in 2012 I got that year's FM. And I'm still playing it:

Every few seasons I think I've got the perfect "out" to quit my game - I took FC Halifax from the bottom of the English league system, won Premier League (twice), the Champions League, and the Club World Championship. But something always brings me back. Whether it's my board finally making the stadium bigger or the youth players I've cultivated now bringing the goods, it's going to take something special to pry me away from my FC Halifax team.

That said, I tend to use FM as a benchmark tool for new PCs (how many simultaneous leagues, database size, etc) and I plan to build a new PC at the end of the year. I imagine that will be the best time to start a new FM game, hopefully with every league running at once with the largest possible database and every player in the game.

The struggles of a big club manager came last night when I played some more with Liverpool.

Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho both came to me asking for a leave because they want to play Champions League, told them they should wait till the end of the season as we can get CL too and they accepted, but if we don’t qualify I will lose 2 of my best players…
Also, as the squad is big and has lots of good players, some of them don’t get as much playtime as they would like, so Origi and Lallana started complaining…

Keeping everybody happy, including the board, is a lot more challenging than when I was with Utrecht.

This can get hilarious sometimes.

When I won the Championship and got promoted to the Premier League with FC Halifax, 10 games into the season my star striker said he wanted to move to a "big club" and "win trophies". One week later he signed for Birmingham. Who were at that point 17th in the Championship.

As for the club being too big, I had three world-class strikers but had my preferred two. The third guy won the World Cup with Italy so I sold him for £40 million. Having too much quality at a team is a real dilemma, especially when paired with personal preferences.

What really makes me laugh is when 20-year old players with 0-0.5 star ratings complain that they're not getting a chance in the first team. I've got a lot of holdover crap young players, as I rose up the leagues incredibly quickly but never had enough money to invest in youth recruitment.

 

[Shake Appeal]

The match engine has been so horrendously all over the place this year that I haven't really gotten into any one save. A low year.

 

[Nyx]

This can get hilarious sometimes.

When I won the Championship and got promoted to the Premier League with FC Halifax, 10 games into the season my star striker said he wanted to move to a "big club" and "win trophies". One week later he signed for Birmingham. Who were at that point 17th in the Championship.

As for the club being too big, I had three world-class strikers but had my preferred two. The third guy won the World Cup with Italy so I sold him for £40 million. Having too much quality at a team is a real dilemma, especially when paired with personal preferences.

What really makes me laugh is when 20-year old players with 0-0.5 star ratings complain that they're not getting a chance in the first team. I've got a lot of holdover crap young players, as I rose up the leagues incredibly quickly but never had enough money to invest in youth recruitment.

Yeah, I love all the depth in this game, but sometimes these kind of player conversations get so silly....

And indeed, those youngsters that haven't shown anything yet complaining about not getting a fair chance while they get 5.4 ratings in the reserves... Usually I just straight up transferlist them.

 

[industrian]

And indeed, those youngsters that haven't shown anything yet complaining about not getting a fair chance while they get 5.4 ratings in the reserves... Usually I just straight up transferlist them.

I need to keep them hanging around for Champions League restrictions on club-trained players.

I buy 100% of the young players (15-16 year olds) that I actually use. I'm just waiting for a few of them to become club-trained so I can clean out my junk players.

 

[Nyx]

Last night I had to play the 3rd round of the FA Cup at Leicester City who play in the Championship. Had a bad feeling about it and that turned out to be right, after 35 minutes Leicester lead 3-0...

Then in 10 minutes we score 2 goals and it's half-time. I ask the lads where their passion is, but just 5 minutes in the 2nd half Leicester nets a 4th goal and I shake my head in disbelief.. 10 minutes later it's 4-3, in the 80th minute, 4-4.. In the 86th minute we take the lead, 4-5.. But ofcourse 2 minutes later Leicester scores the equalizer making it a 5-5 draw in the end, what a match.

The replay at Anfield ends in 4-1 for Liverpool, but damn!

 

[The Llama]

I can't be the only one who thinks this way: I love Football Manager, but holy crap am I bad at it.

 

[Antti]

540h of FM15 so far. Currently managing Gosport in Vanarama Conference. 22 game unbeaten run WHOOP WHOOP

 

[Nyx]

I can't be the only one who thinks this way: I love Football Manager, but holy crap am I bad at it.

We can help perhaps?

 

[Jackano]

Finally discovered a bit about marketing sales:

- Affiliate with a Japanese team (knew it);
- Get a player from Japan national team (knew it);
- and do a tourney in Japan (``new`` !)

Result: Player shirts sales goes up, as said in the final financial resume at the end of the season.
I should post this on regular FM forums too, I'm not sure this is well known (and I recently searched a great deal about marketing sales in FM but no one know much things).

 

[Nyx]

Finally discovered a bit about marketing sales:

- Affiliate with a Japanese team (knew it);
- Get a player from Japan national team (knew it);
- and do a tourney in Japan (``new`` !)

Result: Player shirts sales goes up, as said in the final financial resume at the end of the season.
I should post this on regular FM forums too, I'm not sure this is well known (and I recently searched a great deal about marketing sales in FM but no one know much things).

Tours to China, Qatar and such are indeed good for some extra money!

 

[Jackano]

Tours to China, Qatar and such are indeed good for some extra money!

I will try China next season then. I have chinese teams affiliated (but no player).
Do you know if multiple affiliates from the same country is a good thing, or a con, or doesn't matter?

 

[Nyx]

I will try China next season then. I have chinese teams affiliated (but no player).
Do you know if multiple affiliates from the same country is a good thing, or a con, or doesn't matter?

No idea tbh

 

[Rajang]

Awesome, never knew there was a Football Manager series OT.

Subbed. And will be posting some screenshots from my game as well tommorow.

I start every FM game managing the club I support (Chelsea). And usually after 5+ seasons I try a lower league side. This game is just sooo addictive. Been playing the series since 07.

 

[Nyx]

Awesome, never knew there was a Football Manager series OT.

Subbed. And will be posting some screenshots from my game as well tommorow.

I start every FM game managing the club I support (Chelsea). And usually after 5+ seasons I try a lower league side. This game is just sooo addictive. Been playing the series since 07.

Welcome!

Screenshots are always cool, tonight I will try to upload the highlights of the 5-5 FA Cup draw with Leicester from last night.

 

[MrGlass]

I'm playing as West Ham and doing very well winning titles (even the CL) and still have players wanting to leave for a big club that they've heard are interested in them. I've got around the issue by demanding stupid money which puts the other team off and the player is eventually happy to stay. I've only once been called on this when PSG accepted my £35m demand for my striker.

I've only got one problem at the moment but it's not too bad where i've got 4 strikers, 2 of which are young (19 and 20) and need playing time and neither can get a loan as a first team regular. So i'm having to play a 4-1-3-2 and rotate whereas my preferred and best formation seems to be 4-1-2-2-1 (or 4-3-3 whatever you want to call it). No matter how much i train those young strikers at finishing they just can't seem to get me the goals they should be getting with the quality of delivery they get.

 

[Nyx]

I've only got one problem at the moment but it's not too bad where i've got 4 strikers, 2 of which are young (19 and 20) and need playing time and neither can get a loan as a first team regular. So i'm having to play a 4-1-3-2 and rotate whereas my preferred and best formation seems to be 4-1-2-2-1 (or 4-3-3 whatever you want to call it). No matter how much i train those young strikers at finishing they just can't seem to get me the goals they should be getting with the quality of delivery they get.

How is their composure? I think that is the most important attribute for strikers next to finishing.

 

[industrian]

One question I have for those knowledgeable in FM is: why are 80% of all the goals I concede directly after I have scored (literally from the kick off)? This has been the case for every FM game I've played and it just makes me feel like a noob.

That and two of my star players seem to hate each other (one thinks the other takes himself too seriously, the other thinks he may be disharmonious at the club). Is there a way to make these two guys like each other? I had this situation before and ended up just selling one of them.

Last night I had to play the 3rd round of the FA Cup at Leicester City who play in the Championship. Had a bad feeling about it and that turned out to be right, after 35 minutes Leicester lead 3-0...

Then in 10 minutes we score 2 goals and it's half-time. I ask the lads where their passion is, but just 5 minutes in the 2nd half Leicester nets a 4th goal and I shake my head in disbelief.. 10 minutes later it's 4-3, in the 80th minute, 4-4.. In the 86th minute we take the lead, 4-5.. But ofcourse 2 minutes later Leicester scores the equalizer making it a 5-5 draw in the end, what a match.

The replay at Anfield ends in 4-1 for Liverpool, but damn!

My first Premier League game of the current season ended up 5-4 to us. I was laughing throughout the game because it was just so damn comical sometimes. Some of the goals were mistakes, others were world-class strikes.

I'll upload it to YouTube eventually, but my current internet connection sucks.

Finally discovered a bit about marketing sales:

- Affiliate with a Japanese team (knew it);
- Get a player from Japan national team (knew it);
- and do a tourney in Japan (``new`` !)

Result: Player shirts sales goes up, as said in the final financial resume at the end of the season.
I should post this on regular FM forums too, I'm not sure this is well known (and I recently searched a great deal about marketing sales in FM but no one know much things).

I have a Japanese affiliate but I'm unsure of any benefits it's brought. I've consistently tried to sign Japanese and Chinese players to get a merchandise boost but work permit requirements (and the fact I "require" 4-5 star players) always puts an end to that.

The only ever time I was informed of a financial boost in signing a player was when I signed a 33-year-old James Milner.

 

[Jackano]

One question I have for those knowledgeable in FM is: why are 80% of all the goals I concede directly after I have scored (literally from the kick off)? This has been the case for every FM game I've played and it just makes me feel like a noob.

That and two of my star players seem to hate each other (one thinks the other takes himself too seriously, the other thinks he may be disharmonious at the club). Is there a way to make these two guys like each other? I had this situation before and ended up just selling one of them.

I'm not sure to how to avoid the first one with training, but anyway the two of your problem seems to be related to mental skills and/or collective skills.
Try to check your stats in team work, concentration, and such.

And try to put some weeks of training with the collective/team work, team harmony and tactics focus. Not sure about the english names but that's the gold/shit, purple, and orange ones.

 

[Ron Mexico]

I can't be the only one who thinks this way: I love Football Manager, but holy crap am I bad at it.

This. So much this. I blame part of it on being the American that didn't have the socc..er...football background.

That said, I always loved sports sims (going back to the Earl Weaver Baseball days. Good times) and love the promotion and relegation systems popular across the pond.

As far as tips, my biggest problem is it feels odd to do anything other than starting at the absolute bottom which means all my players are garbage,leading to them being incapable of doing well...anything. I've thought about taking on one of Europe's elite multiple times but as soon as I start the game I feel like it's unrealistic.

The result? Ron Mexico's Relegation Service. Here today, down the leagues tomorrow.

 

[industrian]

I'm not sure to how to avoid the first one with training, but anyway the two of your problem seems to be related to mental skills and/or collective skills.
Try to check your stats in team work, concentration, and such.

And try to put some weeks of training with the collective/team work, team harmony and tactics focus. Not sure about the english names but that's the gold/shit, purple, and orange ones.

My pre-season is heavy Team Cohesion and Tactics Only.

I think that sending players away on a pre-season camp can help this too, but as the World Cup was in the previous summer that wasn't an option for me.

This. So much this. I blame part of it on being the American that didn't have the socc..er...football background.

That said, I always loved sports sims (going back to the Earl Weaver Baseball days. Good times) and love the promotion and relegation systems popular across the pond.

As far as tips, my biggest problem is it feels odd to do anything other than starting at the absolute bottom which means all my players are garbage,leading to them being incapable of doing well...anything. I've thought about taking on one of Europe's elite multiple times but as soon as I start the game I feel like it's unrealistic.

The result? Ron Mexico's Relegation Service. Here today, down the leagues tomorrow.

Football Manager 2013 had the perfect tutorial really.

Rangers FC had just been relegated to the bottom tier of Scottish football but still had a team capable of playing in the Scottish Premier League. So basically you had quality players and enough time to fuck around getting comfortable with tactics and how the game played.

Actually even at this point I'd consider Scottish leagues to be the best for learning the game. Go as Rangers, Hearts or Hibernian and you should have good enough players and a league that you can easily dominate.

 

[Ron Mexico]

I totally get the Rangers thing. Also Juventus from a few years ago when they were dropped to Serie B. Still had that mental block of taking over a team that was almost too good.

First game in FM15, I took some crap job in France (Colomiers?). Think they had like 8 "real" players, over budget and completely hopeless. Think I got sacked in 2 months?

I know the answer is just to not do something ridiculous like starting unemployed with no badges and Sunday league rep, but the sense of accomplishment is the alluring thing. So far, it's led me to Bristol Rovers in the absolute dizzying (lol) heights of League 1.

 

[Nyx]

Found a website with tons of articles/tutorials on training, tactics, player development etc.

http://sisportscentre.com/

Might be worth a look, I will add it to the OP as well.

 

[tarzanpuyol]

I think the furthest I've gone is till 2025 with FM 2012, every season played no skipping or fast forwarding, classic view I still hate the 3D view.

 

[industrian]

In my CM99/00 game I went until around 2039. I doubt I'll ever get that far again.

Right now I'm in 2025 with FM13.

Speaking of which, I'm having the slump of a lifetime in the second half of the season. This normally happens, but not to this extent. I'm top of the league but am struggling to beat teams in the relegation zone. And in a team meeting when I tried to cheer up the players, the captain got shouted at by the other players.:/

 

[Nyx]

Leicester City - Liverpool 5-5

 

[GoldenA]

Woop a FM thread!

Been playing this series since championship manager 03/04 but a lack of time means I've only got the handheld version this year.

Managed to get my team Swansea up to third in league by 2017, decided that was as far as i could take them and left for Manchester United when Van Gaal got sacked for finishing 6th

 

[danthefan]

These days I usually play a season obsessively and then get bored. Put god knows what hours into the older games though.

 

[Clegg]

I usually have two fm saves going at the same time. One is as a rich club where I can build the dream team I want and develop young players and try our new tactics safe in the knowledge I won't get sacked. Then I have my 'real' save where I usually pick a conference side and rise through the leagues.

 

[Plasma]

Currently in my 5th season as manager of Crystal Palace. In the first season I finished 5th, second season finished in 7th, third season finished in 3rd and in the fourth season finished 1st. Somehow managed to win the league by two points as Chelsea lost to Cardiff on the last day lol.

My current team.

GK: Asmir Begovic
LB: Alex Telles
DCL: Eder Alvarez Balanta
DCR: Jeffrey Bruma
DR: Danilo
DM: Gaston Gil Romero
MCR: Martin Odegaard
MCL: Bryan Crisante
ML: Lucas Piazon
MR: Julian Brandt
STC: Luka Jovic

Subs/Backup
GK: Tim Howard
CB: Samir
DL: Neil Taylor
DR: Sam Byram
DM: Afriye Acquah
DM: James McCarthy
DM: Nathan Sinkala
MC: Milos Jojic
ML: Ricardo Kishna
MR: Jay Rodriguez
STC: Richario Zivkovic

Think I need another CB as backup, tried to bring in one before the transfer deadline but the board got really stingy.

I had another save that I started when the game was still in beta but I was playing as Arsenal and it got a bit too easy, won the FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League in my first year and in the second I won the Champions League, Premier League, Super Cup and Club World Cup.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

This was my favorite thing from recently

It was after a 7-0 thrashing of Burnley.

 

[Plasma]

Also I'm currently in 2018 and Chelsea have built a new stadium named Lampard Stadium lol.

 

[industrian]

Also I'm currently in 2018 and Chelsea have built a new stadium named Lampard Stadium lol.

It was named the Zola Stadium in my game.

Spurs also got a new stadium called Perryman Park.

My team on the other hand just named their new stadium FC Halifax Stadium. :/

 

[Nyx]

Yay!

 

[Antti]

Back-to-back promotions from Vanarama Conference to League 2 and from League 2 to League 1. Had to turn pro before the season, too, which meant renegotiating all existing contracts from part-time to full-time. That meant I had to give players more money, so I couldn't really sign anyone. The board and team expectation was to avoid relegation, so getting promoted is pretty awesome.

Some pics:

2019/20 season, promotion from Vanarama Conference South to Vanarama Conference:

2021/2022 season, promotion from Vanarama Conference to League 2:

2022/2023 season, promotion from League 2 to League 1:

League 2 salaries:

 

[blacklotus]

Getting this game for free tomorrow or monday, finally.

Can't wait!

 

[sestrugen]

Currently on 2017 with Arsenal, might start a new one soon and will post updates as I go along, very fun game

 

[sestrugen]

That feeling when you get FM'd

 

[industrian]

Just won the Premier League. Twice in a row, and three times overall.

I think I need to change my captain though. He keeps getting shouted down in team meetings.

And I'd share my team sheet but considering I'm starting season 2025/26 I doubt there's any familiar names.

 

[Nyx]

Sold Memphis Depay for 60 million euros to Real Madrid, feels good man.

 

[industrian]

Pre-season is both my favourite and least favourite part of the game.

Favourite because it lets you build a new team and have a fresh start with tactics and such.

Least favourite because you forget to save the game and it crashes a week before the first game of the new season.

 

[Antti]

Back-to-back promotions from Vanarama Conference to League 2 and from League 2 to League 1. Had to turn pro before the season, too, which meant renegotiating all existing contracts from part-time to full-time. That meant I had to give players more money, so I couldn't really sign anyone. The board and team expectation was to avoid relegation, so getting promoted is pretty awesome.

Make that three promotions in consecutive years now.

 

[industrian]

So when do Korean players usually go on their National Service?

I decided to sell my Korean goalkeeper to Barcelona. He had a year on his contract left and had yet to be called up. As he was 28 I didn't fancy losing him for two years. Got £20 million for him.

 

[Shake Appeal]

This thread got me playing again. Just won the Championship with Norwich in my first season. Looking forward to finally turning them into a European powerhouse. Only problem is my preferred formation is 4-3-1-2 and I have a bunch of talented young wingers who aren't easy to convert into STs/AMCs.

 

[Nyx]

Since the championship season with Liverpool some players have left the club.
Memphis Depay was a very wanted player, both Real Madrid and Juventus offered 32m (built with all kinds of clauses) as an opener but I countered their offers with 60 million euros, complete payment upfront, and both clubs accepted. Depay chose Real and there he went…

Also leftback Alberto Moreno left the club as Barcelona wanted him and he wanted to go there, think I got 18m for him.

With all that money I bought some young talented players. As replacement for Depay I bought Romanian winger Doran Rotariu and as a replacement for Alberto Moreno I bought Argentinian leftback Jonathan Silva.
Also bought a young striker as backup for Sturridge and Origi, Spanish U-21 international Carlos Fernandez from Valencia.

 

[Jackano]

2026. Shortage of forwards. My star, Nepote, got 4 months injury. My best young FW, promoted this season as the 3rd forward, got the same one week after. Now my japanese got 3-4 weeks and Nepote is still 2 weeks away from recovery.
No, no problem with training or physios. Just bad luck?
Anyway, first time ever I had to recall a guy sent in loan. He is my 5th or 6th FW but now he's the 3rd.