Alright boyz, here we go! FM 2010 first impressions thread

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by digamma

Nah, they won't approve anything longer than a 12 month contract either.

I wouldn't expect them to. It sounds like you're offering to extend the contract even if it's at a cheaper price. I'm not going to go as to say the game is specifically designed this way, but I can understand the team not willing to extend anybody's contract at this point.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I wouldn't expect them to. It sounds like you're offering to extend the contract even if it's at a cheaper price. I'm not going to go as to say the game is specifically designed this way, but I can understand the team not willing to extend anybody's contract at this point.

Not as I understand it. The new contract is to replace the existing contract.

[Passacaglia]

Quick question guys -- I'm starting unemployed, and looking to take over a lower league team. I want to do this just as the offseason is beginning, or maybe as the first season is ending. Is there any reason I should wait until the new season clicks over, i.e will I be penalized for "finishing" the season with a poor performance, when I had nothing (or at least very little, like a game or two), to do with it?

[MrBug708]

I just advanced from the group stages in the Euro Champions Cup without actually winning. I managed just 5 points and finished with a -1 G.D. I tied with Shakatar with just five points. Shakatar, believe it or not, didn't score one goal in 6 matches, while conceding just two. LOSC Lille managed just four points, but scored four goals (and conceded 6). I scored 3 of my 4 total goals in a 3-3 tie with LOSC

[chesapeake]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

Quick question guys -- I'm starting unemployed, and looking to take over a lower league team. I want to do this just as the offseason is beginning, or maybe as the first season is ending. Is there any reason I should wait until the new season clicks over, i.e will I be penalized for "finishing" the season with a poor performance, when I had nothing (or at least very little, like a game or two), to do with it?

I picked up with Longford in the Irish 1st division mid-season. Although I led them to a promotion, the status screen said that league performance would not affect my job status. Games I managed did factor into their assessment of me, so it seems pretty fair.

[digamma]

Wha' happened?

In a career with Dover, our first season after being promoted to the BSP.

On January 28 of my season, I was comfortably in second place in the BSP and have an 8 game unbeaten streak going.

Now 8 games later, we've lost 8 in a row, often by big margins and have fallen to 11th place.

Everybody is unhappy. I am like 10-1 underdogs in every game now. We've just completely fallen apart.

Grrr...

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by digamma

Wha' happened?

In a career with Dover, our first season after being promoted to the BSP.

On January 28 of my season, I was comfortably in second place in the BSP and have an 8 game unbeaten streak going.

Now 8 games later, we've lost 8 in a row, often by big margins and have fallen to 11th place.

Everybody is unhappy. I am like 10-1 underdogs in every game now. We've just completely fallen apart.

Grrr...

Sounds like the AI figured out your tactic (whatever you're using).

[Chief Rum]

Funny thought I am having in my current career--I think my AssMan is better at press conferences than I am. Usually I get messages that what he said is liked by the team or by a player in question. I usually get that, too, but more often than not, in being maybe too "honest" or not being aware how the team will react to certain responses, I get the team/player not so happy with my comments.

Plus, the conferences can get repetitive after a while. So I have been sending my assistant more and more.

I do, though, think it would be great fun in a lower league career (I am at Boro in the EPL right now) to get an AssMan who is awful at conferences (very low Media Friendly) and who is a combative personality. Half the fun will be seeing how he handles some questions.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Sounds like the AI figured out your tactic (whatever you're using).

So the scouting report is out for my team and everyone just adjusts to it? How do you counter that? Switch up formations?

Was using a 3-5-2 and leading the league in goals scored (not anymore).

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by digamma

So the scouting report is out for my team and everyone just adjusts to it? How do you counter that? Switch up formations?

Was using a 3-5-2 and leading the league in goals scored (not anymore).

It's tough. I have switched tactics wholesale at times. Or I look carefulyl at where the breakdowns are occurring and try to adjust the tactic to handle those.

I had a great tactic for the Championship that got me the EPL with Boro, but it was getting tore up by the better EPL squads. It was basically because I didn't have the quality of player to play that style toe to toe with them. So I have had to adjust, too (not much luck yet either).

[JPhillips]

I don't know if the AI cracking your tactics is still a part of the game, but if it is your only option is to change tactics. If it's an AI crack you need a drastic change. In previous versions you could keep the AI from cracking your tactic by randomly adjusting defensive depth and/or tempo a little.

[King of New York]

Digamma, one way to pull out of those death spirals is to schedule some friendlies against weaker opposition. I don't know whether the AI can crack tactics, but it seems clear that poor team morale can lead to devastating runs of poor results--give your team a chance to play well against moderately weaker opposition, and things might turn around.

[Alan T]

I would combine several suggestions above. If you are in a death spiral, it is likely due to a combination of things:

1) Poor morale
2) predictable tactics
3) Poor form

Scheduling friendlys can help the form if you have weaker opponents. You can pull things back together and have the players play together. Likewise, playing well will make it easier in your team talks or building up players to make them feel happier and improve the team morale.

As for tactics, I ran into the same problem several times. I honestly don't feel that you have to scuttle the entire ship, but if you are pretty consistant with your tactics, they probably know your formation, your mindset (attacking/defensive/etc), and what not. Try switching it around some. If you are the underdog in most matches anyways, instead of going with a defensive approach, try changing to a counter. If you are the favorite instead of attacking, try a control. You can try to change things up some by playing a wider or narrower formation if the field/opponent allows, but I personally don't find as much success by completely changing things up.

[JPhillips]

So what's up with the incredible increase in costs from BSP to Coke2? It's only the beginning of October and my ground maintenance is 3X the entire previous year. Other costs are equal to all of last year. Non-soccer costs are better, but still are already at 60% of the total of last year.

I know the added status will cost more, but do costs really go up to that degree for a newly promoted Coke2 club?

[bulletsponge]

i just got a son regen in my youth team. hes a promising FB that can play RB,RW or RM. he looks like he will become a solid Premier league player. and hes already the youngest player in my teams history to play (in a Euro cup game against a icelandic team) only problem is hes multinational (of course) ENG/US. being in england i hope he chooses the US. im going to pretend his mother is Keeley hazel or Cheryl tweedy

[JPhillips]

Ouch. Seven clear cut chances and zero goals.

[JPhillips]

So after two surprise playoff wins I've gone from Coke2 to Premier in two years. I'm woefully undermanned right now and have the worst odds I've ever seen to win 5000-1.

At least my board finally got off their asses and expanded the stadium. Now I'll have a whopping capacity of 7800 with nearly four thousand of those seated!

[Scoobz0202]

I tried a search but I couldn't find it.

Noob question pretty much. Is there a consensus, or recommended, best start up universe? Like... What is a good balance between performance and a good size world. I am creating a new game and I was really wondering if there is a "must" database size or if there are "must" leagues to have in.


I am doing an English, either Championship or lower league 1 team.

[bulletsponge]

its more or less what your comp can handle

[Scoobz0202]

Yeah. I have wondered at times if there was a basic outline that is the "smart" way to play and I could adjust accordingly. Im not knowledgeable enough about soccer to know if I am missing anything anyways just something I have often wondered.

[the_meanstrosity]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

Yeah. I have wondered at times if there was a basic outline that is the "smart" way to play and I could adjust accordingly. Im not knowledgeable enough about soccer to know if I am missing anything anyways just something I have often wondered.

It depends on where you want to coach and how "realistic" you want things to be. If you're coaching in the MLS and that's it then I would suggest USA and South America with as much detail as you can muster. If you're looking at Europe then I would do a high detail on the league you're playing in plus some of the major European leagues for all of the cups. My FM09 English league game was set up fairly well. I can send that to you when I check it tomorrow.

[the_meanstrosity]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

Yeah. I have wondered at times if there was a basic outline that is the "smart" way to play and I could adjust accordingly. Im not knowledgeable enough about soccer to know if I am missing anything anyways just something I have often wondered.

Scoobz, here is my current setup for the FM09 game where I'm managing in the EPL. I wanted the top European leagues (though I'm probably missing some) as well as the South American countries that provide quality talent (Argentina and Brazil). I also knew I may want to coach the World Cup eventually as USA hence Mexico and USA.

Large database size
Mexico (First Division A and above)
USA (MLS only)
England (Blue Square North/South and above)
France (National and above)
Germany (Second division and above)
Italy (Series B and above)
Spain (LIGA adelante and above)
Argentina (Second Division and above)
Brazil (Second division and above)

[Warhammer]

How does one get themselves hired as a WC coach?

[the_meanstrosity]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

How does one get themselves hired as a WC coach?

I've never done it, but I believe you can start the game as the coach of any nation if that interests you. You can also be hired mid-game depending on your reputation and the openings available. Being a national coach isn't nearly as fun as managing in a league, but it is always one of my goals when starting a FM career just to say I did it.

[Warhammer]

Do you have to indicate interest or do they approach you similar to other jobs?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Do you have to indicate interest or do they approach you similar to other jobs?

Either way.

If you want it though, go after it with a smaller nation. Because you'll have to build yourself up with a lot of club/national team success to get approached by any of the larger nations.

[OldGiants]

I've had FM10 since the World Cup final day sale, and I must say this version finally makes sense to me. The tactics screen is a huge improvement to the extent I use my own designs exclusively. Won a treble with Arsenal, took Syracusa from C2 to C1 and won the C2 Super Copa as well.

That got me interested in training, an area I always used download schedules for. Then I read the SFraser thread on tactics, and now that is clicking, too. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the download in the first post was the old version that had a flaw that created injury carnage like WWI trench warefare. I got past that the first season, but now in C1 my older squad is rupturing viscera every training session. Found the new schedules and finally got the entire thread read, and now I have a good feeling for what to do. So I switched to Panathaikos in Greece.

You will need to read the entire thread to let it all sink in, but once you've done that, d/l'd the schedules and the spreadsheet, things should click. You will be setting up individual schedules for your best players, but that will be easy when you follow the spreadsheet. That will tell you which clicks to set on the training bars.

Anyway, if you like designing your own tactics, this looks so far to produce training schedules of great quality. This is a long thread, with a great deal of detailed discussion. However, it is that discussion which makes the time spent so rewarding.

The link:

Sports Interactive Community

[flounder]

In my game managing Derby I just got hired as Uruguay's coach. There was just a news item saying Uruguay was looking for a coach with a button to apply for the job. I applied and got it. Of course, the year earlier I applied for the US job only to get passed over for Bruce Arenas.

[JPhillips]

Yikes. I'm in a seventeen match section with twelve being away games. I swear I can't get more than a single Cup match at home. So far this season I've had four Carling Cup matches and one FA Cup with only one of those home.

I need the money dammit!

[sovereignstar]

Originally Posted by flounder

In my game managing Derby I just got hired as Uruguay's coach. There was just a news item saying Uruguay was looking for a coach with a button to apply for the job. I applied and got it. Of course, the year earlier I applied for the US job only to get passed over for Bruce Arenas.

You should try Luis Suarez as a goalkeeper at some point.

[flounder]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar

You should try Luis Suarez as a goalkeeper at some point.

In the first game I started him at striker, he clanged 2 shots off the post and a header off the crossbar in the first 15 minutes. I must be paying for his bad World Cup karma.

[Scoobz0202]

What does my player mean by "concerned by lack of harmony."

I'm Leeds, we have four wins and one draw through our first five matches. All my starters and subs, minus one, have a morale of Superb with a few Very Good. The one sub is "okay."

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

What does my player mean by "concerned by lack of harmony."

I'm Leeds, we have four wins and one draw through our first five matches. All my starters and subs, minus one, have a morale of Superb with a few Very Good. The one sub is "okay."

Don't look just at the 'morale' of the squad- are there players who have complaints - ie. wants first team football etc.? .... this sort of unrest can be unsettling for some players, most commonly younger ones or 'confidence' players.

More mature players who've been 'around the block' or thoroughly professional players will tend to rise above any in-fighting and be largely unaffected on the pitch though - so it depends on the type of players in your side as to how seriously you want to take such comments.

[Scoobz0202]

When I came in I transfer listed four or so players right away, regardless of their status on the team because they didn't fit my "mold." That's probably it..

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

When I came in I transfer listed four or so players right away, regardless of their status on the team because they didn't fit my "mold." That's probably it..

I usually use the "offer to clubs" option at that point. The potential extra money isn't worth the distractions incurred while waiting for a bid imo - plus if the player is just sitting on your bench interest in him isn't going to go up.

[Big Fo]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Yikes. I'm in a seventeen match section with twelve being away games. I swear I can't get more than a single Cup match at home. So far this season I've had four Carling Cup matches and one FA Cup with only one of those home.

I need the money dammit!

I thought teams split the gate in cup matches and that's why lower league teams would rather play at Old Trafford or the Emirates if drawn against Man Utd or Arsenal rather than play them at home. They figure they are going down either way (unless it's Northampton Town playing Liverpool ) but they might as well get half the gate from a 50,000+ crowd.

[JPhillips]

I haven't checked now that I'm in the Premier. I know at lower levels the home cup matches were where I always set attendance and revenue records.

[JPhillips]

He-he.

I just noticed I have both William Wordsworth and John Dryden as youth scrubs.

[JPhillips]

Please tell me I'm not screwed.

I have my AFC Telford in Europa League in my third season in the Premier. I moved from CC1 to Championship to Premier in three consecutive years. I've ha so much turnover from that I can't fill the four AFC trained slots in Europa registration. Is their any way I can advance past the registration screen?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Please tell me I'm not screwed.

I have my AFC Telford in Europa League in my third season in the Premier. I moved from CC1 to Championship to Premier in three consecutive years. I've ha so much turnover from that I can't fill the four AFC trained slots in Europa registration. Is their any way I can advance past the registration screen?

Everytime I've gotten stuck in some weird thing like that I've just gone on vacation for that day and let my Ass. Man. magically fix it. Somehow they're able to.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Everytime I've gotten stuck in some weird thing like that I've just gone on vacation for that day and let my Ass. Man. magically fix it. Somehow they're able to.

+1. I think you may also be able to leave spots unfilled to make up for not having the requisite number of home-grown players, but I'm not certain on that.

[JPhillips]

I'll try a vacation. Leaving spots open hasn't worked.

[DaddyTorgo]

vacation always works. i dunno why. but fortunately this only happens to me like MAYBE once in a 30 year career, if that

[JPhillips]

Hurrah vacation. Now I can move on. Thanks.

[DaddyTorgo]

No prob.

I'd be curious to hear from MV - I know there's got to be some other way to advance on, something that the Ass. Man. just does that we don't realize we can do or whatever, but what is it?

[BishopMVP]

I've seen some other weird things on that screen. I ask my Ass.Man to recommend players, and he'll only do 7 HG sometimes, and 26 players others - but if I click it a second time he recommends the right amount.

Anyone know if it's ever happened in real life, and would a team just have to leave spots open, or would they get fined/docked points? Also, I know the game gives you a reminder once a year, and then lists HG etc when you select them, but is there a way to tell outside of those screens?

[law90026]

The solution is to leave enough open spots so that the positions are filled. So an example, if you need a squad of 25 with 4 trained by the club and 8 trained in country, you can register a squad of 17 players, none of which are trained by club or country. You then add on the relevant players to that number but, if you get stuck, you just register the squad of 17 and you should be able to advance past the screen (though that's paper thin unless you have a ton of talented 21 year olds and younger).

In real life, I think Chelsea may have left one spot open this year but I'm not entirely sure on that.

There is also a home-grown screen when you are at your squad page. You can look at that and it will tell you who is home-grown and when youngsters can be expected to be considered home-grown.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by law90026

The solution is to leave enough open spots so that the positions are filled. So an example, if you need a squad of 25 with 4 trained by the club and 8 trained in country, you can register a squad of 17 players, none of which are trained by club or country. You then add on the relevant players to that number but, if you get stuck, you just register the squad of 17 and you should be able to advance past the screen (though that's paper thin unless you have a ton of talented 21 year olds and younger).

In real life, I think Chelsea may have left one spot open this year but I'm not entirely sure on that.

There is also a home-grown screen when you are at your squad page. You can look at that and it will tell you who is home-grown and when youngsters can be expected to be considered home-grown.

I think both Chelski and Liverpool did this year, right?

[JPhillips]

Leaving spots open didn't solve the problem in the game.

[SirFozzie]

Man. I can't believe we're going to get this thread to 3200 replies in about a year's time.. gonna make me sad when FM2011 comes out