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La Sombra – 2 – The illusion of safety
This is post two of a wider series. A series for FM21. “This is all I ask of you.” “Humility! Nobility! Integrity!” Fernando Teixidó, typically passionate in his words and gestures, slams his hand down on the table in front of him. The table’s surface is littered with paper maps of football pitches scribbled all… Read More »La Sombra – 2 – The illusion of safety
La Sombra – 1 – Fútbol del pueblo
This is post one of a wider series. A series for FM21. “The combination of a passionate community-driven anti-fascist club in the face of the money-driven capitalist giant of modern football was too tempting to ignore.” Raúl Martín Presa, majority owner of Rayo Vallecano, stands on the media platform at Estadio de Vallecas with the… Read More »La Sombra – 1 – Fútbol del pueblo
The Lever of La Paz – 7 – El fin
This is post seven of a wider series. A series for FM20. Son, you have your reasons. “Dad?” It was that time again, as Fernando stared out the apartment window, phone pressed against his temple. Teixidó Snr was snacking. Teixidó Jnr was struggling with the humidity and altitude. Nothing ever really changes. Or does it?… Read More »The Lever of La Paz – 7 – El fin
The Lever of La Paz – 6 – Fútbol Boliviano
This is post six of a wider series. A series for FM20. I don’t have a crystal ball. I am not in the witches market of La Paz with my tarot cards. HM: Welcome back to another episode of Fútbol Boliviano, everyone’s favourite English language podcast about Bolivian football. I’m Hugo Montes, and with me… Read More »The Lever of La Paz – 6 – Fútbol Boliviano
The Lever of La Paz – 5 – Artist in the ambulance
This is post five of a wider series. A series for FM20. Sorry, Melgar. We love you, but not right now. The streets of La Paz are a vibrant explosion of colour. The locals move at a frenetic pace, their urgent energy charging around the textile and food markets that line the uneven streets perhaps… Read More »The Lever of La Paz – 5 – Artist in the ambulance
The Lever of La Paz – 4 – I’m just a happy camper!
This is post four of a wider series. A series for FM20. Take that Carl Hagedorn! “Señor Teixidó, it’s your father! He’s at the hospital!” Gabriela, the loyal administrator from the small office at Estadio Hernando Siles belonging to Club The Strongest, had burst in the doorway, out of breath and holding a cordless telephone… Read More »The Lever of La Paz – 4 – I’m just a happy camper!
The Lever of La Paz – 3 – Do you know what nemesis means?
This is post three of a wider series. A series for FM20. He’s like if Piers Morgan had a dangerously high BMI and could tell you everything about the Venezuelan third division. The conference room at Estadio Hernando Siles is as stifling as ever. A small flock of dedicated reporters have gathered to hear The… Read More »The Lever of La Paz – 3 – Do you know what nemesis means?
The Lever of La Paz – 2 – The Italian Job
This is post two of a wider series. A series for FM20. The old CRT TV in the bar happened to be showing grainy Serie A highlights. They each sipped a Cusqueña, putting the world to rights, as only a father and son can do. Starting with football, of course. “The air is so thin… Read More »The Lever of La Paz – 2 – The Italian Job
The Lever of La Paz -1 – Fernando Teixidó
This is post one of a wider series. A series for FM20. Sometimes the magnitude of the iconic black and yellow Tigre shirt weighs too heavy on a player. Sometimes the fans’ expectations weigh too heavily on the coach. The press officer of Bolivia’s Club The Strongest takes a deep breath, nervously looking down at… Read More »The Lever of La Paz -1 – Fernando Teixidó
The Invisibles – 8 – My Milkshake Brings All The Boys To The Yard
This is post eight of a wider series. A series for CM03/04. “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard. And they’re like, it’s better than yours. Damn right, it’s better than yours. I can teach you, but I have to charge” “Let days like this define you.” Bond almost whispers the words. The… Read More »The Invisibles – 8 – My Milkshake Brings All The Boys To The Yard
The Invisibles – 7 – Bring Me To Life
This is post seven of a wider series. A series for CM03/04. “Wake me up inside. Save me. Call my name and save me from the dark.” Welcome to 2004. Shrek 2 is the movie of the year, and you can’t get turning for news about Paris bloody Hilton. The new year has been good… Read More »The Invisibles – 7 – Bring Me To Life
The Invisibles – 6 – In Da Club
This is post six of a wider series. A series for CM03/04. “Go, go, go, go go, go, go, shawty, it’s your birthday. We gon’ party like it’s yo birthday. We gon’ sip Bacardi like it’s your birthday.” “Aaaaaarrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.” George Bond awakens, his pounding head in his hands, his leopard-print dressing gown half open, one… Read More »The Invisibles – 6 – In Da Club
The Invisibles – 5 – Where is the Love?
This is post five of a wider series. A series for CM03/04. “Yo, what’s going on with the world, momma? Yo, people living like they ain’t got no mommas.” Old Trafford is absolutely rocking. Red streamers dance in the air and kids in the stands hug their Dads as the final whistle blows. It’s November… Read More »The Invisibles – 5 – Where is the Love?
The Invisibles – 4 – Cry me a River
This is post four of a wider series. A series for CM03/04. “You don’t have to say, what you did. I already know, I found out from him. Now there’s just no chance, with you and me, there’ll never be. Don’t it make you sad about it?“ Smash! Thud! Bang! Manchester United manager George Bond… Read More »The Invisibles – 4 – Cry me a River
The Invisibles – 3 – Sound of the Underground
This is post three of a wider series. A series for CM03/04. “It’s the sound of the underground, the beat of the drum goes round and round. Into the overflow, where the girls get down to the sound of the radio.” Monster hit “Sound of the Underground” by a pre-tattooed arse Cheryl Tweedy and pals… Read More »The Invisibles – 3 – Sound of the Underground
The Invisibles – 2 – All the things she said
This is post two of a wider series. A series for CM03/04. “All the things she said, all the things she said, running through my head, running through my head. All the things she said, all the things she said, running through my head, running through my head.” A Portuguese teenager with awful teeth but… Read More »The Invisibles – 2 – All the things she said
The Invisibles – 1 – Hey Ya!
This is post one of a wider series. A series for CM03/04. “My baby don’t mess around ‘cause she loves me so and this I know fo sho.” Every single Manchester United fan globally must have shed at least a tear when Sir Alex Ferguson grabbed that microphone at Old Trafford. No. I don’t mean… Read More »The Invisibles – 1 – Hey Ya!
Statistics – What does “good” look like in FM24?
Introduction Last year in the FM23 cycle, by an absolutely absurd margin, my most popular post of the edition was What does “good” look like in FM23? I’ll borrow the context and many of my own words from that post for this year, but all of the numbers in the image at the end are… Read More »Statistics – What does “good” look like in FM24?
FM Stag’s Custom Views Megapack for FM24
Introduction Custom Views are a valuable addition to your Football Manager experience. This Megapack includes 38 fresh views you can import across a number of key screens in FM24 to give you instant access to much more information than is given to you by default. Once downloaded, each one takes just a few seconds to… Read More »FM Stag’s Custom Views Megapack for FM24
Goalkeeper Performance Calculator – FM23
Introduction New and in collaboration with FM Scout, I’d like to introduce you to the FM23 Goalkeeper Performance Calculator. We’ve already created the Player Performance Calculator tool to compare outfield player performances in Football Manager 2023 which you can use already, but now our attentions turn to the men between the posts with the gloves on. This… Read More »Goalkeeper Performance Calculator – FM23
Player Performance Calculator – FM23
Introduction New and in collaboration with FM Scout, I’d like to introduce you to the FM23 Player Performance Calculator. An intuitive web-based Football Manager analytical tool which introduces three new metrics which enable you to better compare player performances. Free and easy to use. I’ve previously written at length about performance metrics and analysis in… Read More »Player Performance Calculator – FM23
Statistics – What does “good” look like in FM23?
Introduction Performance statistics in football can be illuminating at best, misleading at worst and potentially meaningless in the middle. I’ve previously written about my feelings towards the use of metrics and data analysis in football and FM here. Spoiler alert – I find them fascinating and incredibly useful, but only when discussed and applied in… Read More »Statistics – What does “good” look like in FM23?
FM Stag’s Custom Views Megapack for FM23
Introduction Custom Views are a valuable addition to your Football Manager experience. This Megapack includes 41 fresh views you can import across a number of key screens in FM23 to give you instant access to much more information than is given to you by default. Once downloaded, each one takes just a few seconds to… Read More »FM Stag’s Custom Views Megapack for FM23
Player Comparison Visualiser in Action – Guest Writer A FM Old Timer
The Background If you are reading this, hopefully you’ve already read and perhaps downloaded and used the Player Comparison Visualiser tool! If not, please have a look! In the Player Comparison Visualiser, you can export the results of a Player Search in Football Manager 2022, import them into the Excel, and then use two drop-down… Read More »Player Comparison Visualiser in Action – Guest Writer A FM Old Timer
Player Comparison Visualiser
The Background If you are reading this, hopefully you’ve already read my two recent articles, Additional statistics in Football Manager? and Player Search Tool – Moneyball, data recruitment etc. If not, please take a look. They will give you a background into my thoughts and feelings around statistical analysis in football, introduce some new metrics… Read More »Player Comparison Visualiser
Player Search Tool – Moneyball, data recruitment etc
The Background There’s a lot of dubiety about what ‘moneyball’ actually means. Yes, it was a great baseball movie based on a book, with Brad Pitt in it. No, it doesn’t mean you need to bin off every other piece of information you have access to and make decisions solely based on individual numbers in… Read More »Player Search Tool – Moneyball, data recruitment etc
Additional statistics in Football Manager?
Before we kick off, I should clarify the title. These new numbers are of my creation and figured out in spreadsheets but using data exported from Football Manager 2022. They are not new columns appearing in the game itself. The Argument At one extreme end of the spectrum, some believe that performance statistics offer very… Read More »Additional statistics in Football Manager?
Hermán Gaviria in Championship Manager 97/98
“Those were the days.” It’s 1997. The Spice Girls dominate the charts and children’s favourite The Teletubbies is now on TV; kicking off twenty-plus years of every adult baffled as to why kids find it so hypnotic. Tony Blair is the Prime Minister, the first Harry Potter book is in book shops and Titanic is… Read More »Hermán Gaviria in Championship Manager 97/98