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One-Club Man: La Cantera
La Cantera, literally means “the quarry” in Spanish, and it’s a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies and farm teams organized by sports clubs, specifically football clubs. It is also used to refer to the geographical area that clubs recruit players from. I find it’s a perfect term to apply to the process of “unearthing” some young gems of talent in FM24. And if that’s the case then I feel like at Real Sociedad I have hit upon a gold mine.
One-Club Man: Defence-First Football & Club DNA In FM24
The following is a guide written using examples from FM24 on a topic that I wrote about many times before. In other articles from FM21, FM22 and FM23 where I was trying to answer an age-old question – Can defensively-responsible, low-to-mid intensity football be successful in Football Manager? I said YES to that question many times before and given my limited experience (one season under the belt so far) with FM24, my answer remains unchanged. You definitely don’t need to… Read More Read More
One-Club Man: 1st Day on The Job, Meet The Team
First day on the job at La Real! Over the years of managing them in FM, I have amassed quite a bit of knowledge about Real Sociedad’s players. And the following article is meant to share some of this knowledge, especially how it applies to their current 1st team in FM24. Hopefully it will act as a good starting point for those of you, who like me, intend to make San Sebastian your home away from home in this iteration… Read More Read More
The Story of One-Club Man
Originally, I intended this to be a simple and short FM save reveal. But as things tend to happen it grew to be far bigger than intended when I set out to type it. You include a bit of contextual backstory to add flavour to the blog and before you know it you are writing backstory to the backstory. And the simple fluff piece became an introduction to a passion project. So bear with me, I’ll just provide a bit… Read More Read More
FM24 Release Date Announced!
Sports Interactive have just announced the release date for FM24 which will be November 6, 2023. We can only assume the beta period will begin two weeks prior on October 23. Fingers crossed! Let’s have a look at what’s been announced and the features roadmap found on the Football Manager Twitter. Follow Dictate the Game on Twitter for the latest updates! The trailer doesn’t reveal a lot but we know that the graphic engine rebuild is still another year away…. Read More Read More
How to Rebuild Successfully in FM23
In my last post for Dictate the Game, I outlined my approach to analyzing a squad and determining a tactical style to suit their strengths. That post was about working with what you’ve got, without needlessly signing new players. This time, in an almost one-hundred-and-eighty degree twist, I’ll be discussing how to rebuild a squad.
Football Manager Save Ideas – Fallen Giants
In our FM journeys there comes a time when we look for a little inspiration and to try something new that we haven’t done before. We’ve had other articles on obscure challenges, but looking back at the history of European Football, we can find clubs that were once dominant forces in the game. We dub them the Fallen Giants. You could apply this to any continent but today I will focus on Europe.
Jogo Bonito: Perfecting My Best 4-2-3-1 Formation Yet
So I’m doing a little update on my Brazilian-style 4-2-3-1. It is mainly my attempt to adapt the original 1970 Brazil Tactic, “the most beautiful football in history” to mid-tier and lower league teams in Football Manager 2023. Or in case of the example in this article, good teams from less prestigious leagues (Portugal). For the Brazilian brand of attractive, free-flowing attacking football to work, you will still need to have suitably technical players. So an English Championship or League… Read More Read More
FM23: What Makes a Good Shadow Striker?
In many ways, the modern game of football has become a complex game of deception and tactical feints. A shadow striker is an attacking player who occupies the central attacking midfielder’s position (AMC) in Football manager, but rather than primarily acting as the playmaker for the team, mainly focuses on scoring goals. Out of possession, the Shadow Striker presses the opposition defenders in an effort to win the ball back as quickly as possible while limiting their ability to play… Read More Read More
Going (Semi-Pro): Life as a Lower League Manager
I’ve gone Semi-Pro. I’ve taken everything I’ve learned in all my time at the top in FM, and now I’m in the wilds of Norway where my left-back is also my boss. How life has changed?
Creating a Unique Tactic in FM23
A walkthrough on building a unique tactic with the tools at your disposal. “Tactics mean doing what you can with what you have.” Saul Alinsky
FM23: What Makes a Good Sweeper Keeper?
In the modern era of football, there’s an increasing expectation for Goalkeepers to have “outfield” attributes in their repertoire. In some cases, goalkeepers are encouraged to push higher up the pitch to take on the role of another defender and to assist the outfield build-up play. This is what has become known as the ‘Sweeper Keeper’. In this post, we will look at what makes a good Sweeper Keeper on Football Manager.
How I Won The League With a Counter Attacking 4-3-3 – FM23
My current Journeyman in Football Manager 2023 has made me play different systems. I have never really settled with one particular style, until I took over Radomiak Radom in the Fortuna Liga, Poland. This system won the title and promotion to the PKO Ekstraklasa with a club record breaking 3rd placed finish. Fast forward a year, with a failed spell at Viktoria Plzen, I have took over recently relegated Aston Villa. Where I have recorded a record 110 points, scoring… Read More Read More
Jogo Bonito: Guide To Brazilian Game (Part 2)
If you followed this series then you know that in Part 1 I have set the scene with the historical background and highlighted a few roles important to the style. Thus in this section, I will explore my FM23 tactic in greater detail. A few important questions remain. How am I to create a tactic that is closely inspired by Brazilian Jogo Bonito style? What are some essential elements that I will attempt to convey on the pitch? The roles… Read More Read More
Most Obscure Challenges on Football Manager
When playing Football Manager, we all have our favourite saves or challenges we love to do, no matter if they are obscure or common. But sometimes, we fancy something different, a new challenge. And that is why I have scoured Internet articles for some of the most obscure challenges to perhaps entice you into a new path. Read on below for the Most Obscure Challenges in Football Manager.
Six Tips to Manage Finances in FM23
Regardless of which club you choose in FM23, one area you will need to manage every time is the club finances. Ensuring you have enough money in the bank balance and therefore your transfer budget is crucial to the long term success of your club. Not everything is in your control finances wise (your Board need to be competent!) but you can make a difference to how much money you have available. So with that, here are six tips to… Read More Read More
Football Manager Basics (2023 Edition)
Are you new to the game? Is it a bit overwhelming or intimidating to get started or pick the game up? Well you’ve come the right place! I’m going to go through the Football Manager basics so you can get into the flow of the game as quickly and easily as possible. So let’s hit continue (or maybe not) and get started! Loading the game When you first start up Football Manager you will be asked to select your database… Read More Read More
FM23: What Makes a Good Regista?
The term ‘regista’ is taken from the Italian word for ‘director’. The regista is quite literally the director of the football match – they retain their deep position and dictate their team’s play with their distribution. A regista likes to move forward up, sometimes even near the opponent box and to organize the buildup play — that’s why he’s called regista, Italian for regisseur, the one who conducts an opera. He needs to be a skilful player, and creative but… Read More Read More
Breaking Tradition: Attributes v Statistics
It’s tough to break with tradition. To start something over in a different way to the way it’s always been done. Since the first versions of Championship Manager began to appear, the players in game have been graded in a Top Trumps kind of way; graded on the attributes that make a footballer. Not that long ago, these attributes moved from an Alphabetical Listing to a Categorised Listing. Attributes were noted as Technical, Mental or Physical Qualities. Managers would then… Read More Read More
Jogo Bonito – Beautiful Game: Guide to Playing 4-2-3-1 Like a Brazilian (Part 1)
This is meant to be Part 1 in a planned multi-part series about Jogo Bonito, Brazil’s signature style of football. It’s more of a historical origin story, tracing the winding path that Brazilian unique style of football followed over the years. It is by no means a complete history. That would take an entire book! And besides, Jonathan Wilson does it way batter in his seminal “Inverting The Pyramid”. I just wanted to set the scene and give us context… Read More Read More
Route 23 | FM23 Story | #2
Mason Bradshaw is back! Join us at Route 23 with our Access All Areas pass to watch the rookie Englishman take charge of the New York Red Bulls. We’ll see it all from the transfer signings, the team talks to the wins and losses. We’ll hear from Mason himself, his family, his colleagues, the media and much more.
FM23: What makes a good Raumdeuter?
The word Raumdeuter was coined in a football sense by Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller to describe his unique attacking role. The word essentially translates to “space investigator”, and is best used to define the German’s effective role when exploiting the half-space. A Raumdeuter’s main function is to drift infield and find pockets of space in which to thrive. When deploying any wide player as a Raumdeuter you are essentially instructing them to cut inside and exploit the channel, rather… Read More Read More
FM23: What makes a good False 9?
In a game dominated by 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 and 4-5-1 formations, centre-backs have become accustomed to marking just a single player. A team playing with a false nine is playing without a dedicated striker or target man and relies on midfielders running from deep to do the damage. Take the case of Messi and Barca, considering it’s the most successful use of the system in footballing history and look at the advantages. Defining the False 9 The false 9 position is… Read More Read More
FM23: What makes a good Segundo Volante?
The Segundo Volante is often perceived as a fictitious role, due to it being mainly introduced and popularised in Football Manager. The term ”Volante” is based on Carlos Volante, a midfielder in the Flamengo team in 1938–1940, and down to its core was simply the term for a ball-winning/holding midfielder. The Segundo Volante is mostly employed in a double pivot, either in a 4–3–3 or a 4–2–3–1. He is usually next to the deep-lying playmaker and sits slightly higher up. Recent examples include Pirlo… Read More Read More
Defence-First Football: Disciplined and Sensible Management in Football Manager 2023
This is going to be a guide on strategies that I learned in all of my years playing Football Manager. Not just FM2023. Partly my goal is to debunk a few myths that players have about FM management as well as about “Defensive” Football. It’s also a guide on how to turn an underdog team into a serious contender over time. It’s not a guide to instant success in FM23. But rather repeatable strategies that can improve any club. One… Read More Read More
Route 23 | FM23 Story | #1
Mason Bradshaw is back! Join us at Route 23 with our Access All Areas pass to watch the rookie Englishman take charge of the New York Red Bulls. We’ll see it all from the transfer signings, the team talks to the wins and losses. We’ll hear from Mason himself, his family, his colleagues, the media and much more.
Football Manager 2023 Recruitment Breakdown
Recruitment has been revamped in this new version of Football Manager, and I am obviously intrigued. Gone are the days of disorganized scouting assignments and keeping track of your plans in separate documents, or are they? I will explore the new areas of the game and see what benefits we can find in FM23! Recruitment focuses are the revamped version of Scouting assignments. Gone are the percentage bars of scouting knowledge, and presented to you are more descriptive titles. I… Read More Read More
When Finding a Save Isn’t Straightforward
The career of a football manager can go in many different ways – some will find a club they connect with and grow there, others may make a name as specialists in relegation battles or achieving promotion. Some may even just follow the wind. Their careers are not straightforward. They can have many peaks and troughs, yet still it is a journey that we can watch them work through. In FM, we can have a career in one save, but… Read More Read More
Yellow Gold – Moneyball in FM23 | Prologue
I’ve had numerous attempts at recreating the fabled Moneyball, and never really got anywhere with it. Different things got in the way but the main issue was it takes a while to see the results, and I usually got bored or sacked before those results came to fruition. This year I’ve spent much more time planning my choice of club, and feel that I can really make a go of it. Plus, the recent addition and changes to the Data… Read More Read More
FM23: What Makes a Good Inverted Wing Back?
The inverted wing-backs (IWB) is a role rather than a position. Their job is still to defend the flanks and provide support. However, a signature movement that they employ is moving centrally into the field and occupying a position in the midfield, alongside the deep-lying midfielders.
FM23: What makes a good Physio?
Find out what makes a good physio on Football Manager. A list of recommended physios is provided to support your staff recruitment.
Four Ways to Enjoy FM23
With the impending full launch of Football Manager 2023 coming up, there are numerous ways for players to enjoy playing their favourite saves. However, there seems to be constant debates online among players about the proper way to play the game, which has a definitive answer. Sometimes, this can put people off, especially new players, because of their saves being dismissed as unimpressive. So let us explore the four ways players (old and new) can enjoy playing FM23.
FM23: What makes a good Fitness Coach?
On Football Manager we’re lucky to have an abundance of coaches available. Football Manager not only has coaches but more specific coaches including Fitness Coaches and Goalkeeping Coaches. In this article, we’ll look at what makes a good fitness coach in Football Manager. There are many variables that affect the day-to-day duties of the fitness coach, and their programme can be hugely impacted by injuries to players, the fixture schedule and any last-minute decisions by the head coach. As a… Read More Read More
FM23 Feature Reveal – Squad Planner
Sports Interactive have revealed their headline features now for Football Manager 2023. Revealing there are 5 big additions to the next installment of the game. In this article we will focus on the Squad Planner and try to break down what we know so far. Squad Planner This is a whole new section and UI to manage your current playing squad. Future prospects and potential transfer coming into your team over the next 3 seasons will also show on screen…. Read More Read More
FM23: 5 Things to do Before Pressing ‘Continue’
Okay, so you’ve created your manager, sorted out the profile, and selected whether you’re going to be a tactical or tracksuit manager. You’ve been hired to whichever club you have selected – congratulations! But wait, do not just press continue before reviewing certain screens which will allow you to implement your managerial vision on the club that you’re managing. In this article, we’re going to go through a list of things to do before pressing continue on Football Manager 2023.
FM23: What Makes a Good Goalkeeping Coach?
A good Goalkeeping Coach on Football Manager are vital. At most clubs on Football Manager, you can have Goalkeeping Coaches for both your main team and youth teams. The modern and future goalkeeper coach is more than just “the guy that prepares the club’s goalkeepers”. In today’s game, he should have a greater role to play in the process of pre-match preparation, particularly in the area of set pieces. This is where he should be liaising with other staff members… Read More Read More
FM23: What Makes a Good Technical Director?
A new role was introduced on Football Manager 2020, the Technical Director. My simple advice regarding the role of a Technical Director is if you want to run a fully functioning club where advice is given by staff you can trust, you’ll need to recruit a good and reliable Technical Director. What does a Technical Director do? The Technical Director will be the person (should you give them the responsibilities) that will be in charge of the various departments (coaching,… Read More Read More
FM23 Feature Reveal – Data Hub Changes
One of the most eagerly awaited sports games of the year is Football Manager 2023 has been announced to be released on a variety of platforms on November 8th 2022. One of the most intricate and thorough football simulations ever created by Sports Interactive, and each new version of the game adds new elements. In this post, the changes to the data hub will be revealed.
My Love Letter to Belgian Football
Ah, the most difficult choice in any new FM game… who to manage? With so many leagues and clubs across the world available to you from the start of the game, the choice can be quite intimidating. The goal of the following article is to offer a few ideas for interesting starting clubs in Football Manager 2023. It is a short explanation for why I think Belgium is such an exciting country to manage in.
FM23: What Makes a Good Director of Football?
The Director of Football has been part of Football Manager for a few versions now. The role has been fleshed out to incorporate their responsibilities throughout the game. The Director of Football forms part of your Recruitment Team on Football Manager which consists of the staff member responsible for player scouting and contracts. Do you want to find another type of backroom staff member? Check out the others below! Although there is not an academic definition of a Director of… Read More Read More
FM23 Feature – UEFA Licences
One of the most eagerly awaited sports games of the year is Football Manager 2023 has been announced to be released on a variety of platforms on November 8th 2022. One of the most intricate and thorough football simulations ever created by Sports Interactive, and each new version of the game adds new elements. In this article, one of FM23’s headline features the addition of the UEFA Licences will be looked at. The Football Manager 2023 trailer caught the attention of… Read More Read More
Football Manager 2023 Blog Templates
Welcome to the first blog templates available to copy and edit on Canva and further enhance your content. I’ve recreated websites such as BBC Sport Football and Sky Sports as well as giving you editable Tweets. There’s a lot within the pack which I hope you will enjoy. You will need to sign up to Canva to use the templates. Once you have clicked the link at the bottom of this page you will need to create a copy which… Read More Read More
Best Assistant Managers in Football Manager 2023
FM233 is finally out, and you are looking for the best Assistant Managers in Football Manager 2023. Whether they will focus on training, contract negotiations or picking your best eleven, this article will have a list of the best assistant manager in FM23. The list of Best Assistant Managers in Football Manager 2023 I will list the best assistant managers, as well as some assistant managers for different club levels so there is some variety. Name Judging Player Ability Judging… Read More Read More
Football Manager 2023 Wishlist
It’s that time of the year again! Football Manager is announced with a release date of 8th November 2022. We are all waiting to see what new features get added to this year’s edition. This year in Football Manager 2023, we will see the debut of FM on PlayStation and a return to Football Manager Touch for Apple Arcade. FM announced that UEFA branding will be in the game for the first time! Miles has teased that is not the… Read More Read More
5-3-2: The ultimate underdog formation?
I became intrigued with the 5-3-2 after watching the Prime documentary, Six Dreams, which led me to research more about the then-Girona Manager, Pablo Machin. He guided Girona to La Liga and narrowly missed out on the European places, using a 5-3-2 and 5-2-3. He then moved onto Sevilla and implemented a 5-3-2 which beat Real Madrid 3-0. Upon expanding my research I looked at Inzaghi’s 5-3-2 at Lazio, when he took to Inter. After reading numerous articles about both… Read More Read More
Football Manager: Teams to Manage in Africa
In this article, we look at teams that you could manage in Africa The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is the biggest of the six continental confederations of FIFA. The clubs playing in each top-level league compete for the title of the country’s club champions, and also for places in next season’s CAF Africa club competitions, i.e., the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.
FM Tactical Styles – Wing Play
Possibly the most famous manager to use this style and dominate is the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson with his use of 4-4-2. Is now the time to mention Mike Bassett? No, let’s move on then.4-4-2 is the traditional tactic of the English game, epitomised by Sir Alex Ferguson’s treble-winning side. Consisting of the likes of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs controlling the wings at the forefront of this article. The 4-4-2 used by Ferguson was used by himself for much… Read More Read More
Total Football Journeyman: Libero Search and The Tactical Creative Spine
Looking back through the long history of football, there is one position that has become virtually extinct. Almost. Luckily it still lives on in the Football Manager franchise. I am talking about a role of a centreback that sits back and sweeps up balls played in behind the defence. Then on the offensive he charges forward as a deep-lying playmaker. Called “libero” in Italian and made famous by players like Gaetano Scirea, Franco Baresi and Ronald Koeman. The following article… Read More Read More
FM22 – Tactical Styles: Vertical Tiki Taka
In this article, I discuss another tactical style available on Football Manager, Vertical Tika Taka, a style possibly best known as a tactical hallmark of everyone’s favourite chain-smoking Italian, Maurizio Sarri and his ‘Sarri-ball.’ How does Football Manager define Verticle Tiki Taka? “A quick passing style of possession and movement, with a narrower, more direct approach than the standard Tiki Taka.” Vertical tiki taka is a high pressing, possession-based style of play. The aim is to create vertical incisive passes, rather… Read More Read More
Five Tips for International Management in FM22
Normally at this stage of the summer, we are knee deep in an International tournament and fantasy booking who will win the whole thing. Sadly, the 2022 World Cup has been switched to the winter due to the intense summer heat in Qatar, which means a lack of summer football (for a month or so). But what if you created your own international fun in Football Manager 2022, by taking on a nation to either win trophies or even just… Read More Read More