The Higher Tempo Press
Latest Posts
Young Stars Making Waves in the Big Leagues
Each year in global football, a new phenomenon is tipped to make a lasting impact like no other. These talents rarely live up to the expectations of pundits and managers; however, for the few that do, it is extraordinary to see. Many clubs over the years have relied on youth, and it can prove worthwhile, […]
Why is Dominic Calvert-Lewin so good on FM24
Football Manager thrives on its realism, and the scouts from every country in the game tend to do a stellar job. However, sometimes there are players in the game who are far better on FM than they are on a football pitch. One player that fits into that category is Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The perfect example […]
Playing The Game In Real Life: The Highest-Profile FM Players
For years, fans of Football Manager have claimed it sharpens your understanding of the real game. They’ll tell you about the hours spent pouring over tactics, juggling budgets, and trying to persuade a temperamental striker to stop sulking about training intensity. Some do it for fun. Others treat it like an apprenticeship. And a surprising […]
The Wonderkid Economy: FM’s Hidden Gems vs. Real-World Transfers
Football Manager has always been more than just a game. For plenty of players, it feels like practice for the real thing, learning how to spot talent early, plan, and stick with a project even when it takes time to pay off. The thrill of nurturing an academy prospect until he blossoms into a world-class […]
Five challenging clubs to manage in Football Manager 2026
One of the main things FM players consider when a new edition of Football Manager is released is who they will manage on their first save. With the announcement that FM26 will be released sometime in Autumn 2026, we thought we would look at five teams that would be challenging to do for the first […]
The Most Memorable World Cup Matches
One of the biggest sports events in the world, the World Cup is the most important award in international football. About three billion people watch the game every four years because some of the biggest names in football play in it. Three and a half billion people watched the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and […]
Football Manager 2026 Is Coming
After months of speculation and radio silence, earlier this week, SI released a short video with actual game footage, very little, but enough to get some fans talking and excited about the long-awaited release. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Football Manager (@footballmanager) The video also promised that a first […]
The responsibilities I delegate in Football Manager
Football Manager is a game that can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be. Many options can be simplified by delegating tasks to a typically large group of staff. For the FM newbie or beginner, this can be found by navigating to the staff section on the left-hand side of […]
Five of the most demanding clubs to manage in FM24
Despite the various delays surrounding the game’s latest release, Football Manager 2024 remains one of the finest sports games. Football Manager 2026 is on the horizon, but many fans of the beautiful game are still getting their management fix from the latest version, particularly as there are always new clubs to take on. For many […]
The story of CM 01/02 bargain Taribo West
There are certain players who people of a certain age all remember using on Football Manager and its predecessor, Championship Manager. The name Taribo West is synonymous with many fans of Championship Manager 01/02, as he was arguably one of the best free agents in the history of both Championship Manager and Football Manager. Why […]
Football Manager 2020 Got Me Through Lockdown
Obviously 2020/2021 was a difficult time for a lot of people, though for most it was trying to find a way to deal with the monotony and the frustration of not being able to interact with people. A lot of people I knew took up new hobbies, such as chess or learning a new language […]
Where are the best young forwards from FM18 in 2025?
We are back with our rewind to FM18, a game we have talked about quite a bit recently due to our admiration for that particular edition of the game. In our latest article delving into FM18, we look at the most promising young forwards, with some of the world’s current superstars on our list. Vinicius […]
Why attacking formations in Football Manager 24 are still the most effective
FM24 allows players to test tactics that rarely work in professional football. Many real clubs use defensive shapes like 4-5-1 to balance risk. In the game, however, defensive caution often slows player growth and reduces overall team dominance. Managers who favour attack find they can build squads with unmatched scoring potential, even if their defence […]
Will Football Manager 26 manage to maintain a balance between paid upgrades and regular player development?
Football Manager has become one of the most detailed football simulation games. Players can spend hundreds of hours building clubs and shaping squads. The series rewards time investment, as careful training and smart transfers create competitive sides without shortcuts. However, monetised upgrades have changed the experience for many managers. Some now rely on purchased players […]
Remembering the best free agents on FM18
Today, we’re back to talk about Football Manager 2018, which, as we previously mentioned, is one of our favourite editions of the FM franchise. We talked about FM18 wonderkids in one of our most recent articles. However, this article will examine the players who, for us, were the best free agents of this edition of […]
Football Manager 2018: Wonderkids That Stood Out
The long wait for the next edition of Football Manager has prompted me to reminisce about previous versions of the game. For some reason, one of the editions that stands out is FM18. It was one of my favourite editions of the game. With every new edition of the game, we end up with new […]
Do the Summer Transfers Match the Market Value?
The 2025 summer transfer window is already shaping up to be one of the most financially significant in recent memory. Top clubs across Europe have made blockbuster moves, while others have taken calculated risks on rising stars. But one key question remains: Are clubs paying market value, or are they overspending? Florian Wirtz to Liverpool […]
The rollercoaster that is Football Manager
The above is a question that only true fans of the football simulation will be able to answer. Some have described Football Manager as a glorified spreadsheet, as they don’t understand the appeal of a game where ‘You don’t actually play the games’ as one of my ex-girlfriends once opined. Football Manager is there through […]
Player roles in Football Manager that I never use
Football Manager is easy to conquer if you have the right tactics and good players to play in each position. However, sometimes the roles of your players matter just as much as your formation or even the quality of players. There are some roles I hardly ever use, as they don’t fit the player’s strengths […]
How to Build a Football Manager Save That Lasts
One of the things we love the most about Football Manager is that no two saves are ever the same. Whether you’re trying to hunt down that first Champions League trophy, you want to take a semi-pro club into the big time, or maybe you’re looking to create an obscure lower-league dynasty, the real magic […]
Football Manager 2026 needs to be worth the wait for players
As a group, fans of certain games are not the most patient. Most fans of Football Manager are pretty patient because we have had to wait for patches for new editions, or games being delayed. However, many fans of the world’s favourite football simulation seem to be at breaking point with the game’s creators, SI, […]
Football Manager 2026 release date leaked
Just a short while after we wrote an article about the lack of details about Football Manager 2026 from Sports Interactive, we have now seen some details about the potential release date of the game. How do we know a potential release date? However, it was not from SI directly. Instead, it came in the […]
What happened to wonderkid Freddy Adu?
Over the years, there have been thousands of wonderkids in Football Manager. We have covered many of those promising young players on our website. One player who defines the term wonderkid is Freddy Adu. We covered his story slightly in one of our old posts about wonderkids. Here we will take a deeper look at […]
Why waiting for FM26 may not be a terrible thing after all
No Football Manager player liked the fact that FM25 was cancelled in February, and we have to wait until FM26 for our fresh dose of Football Manager goodness. Nobody likes it when the release of their favourite game’s instalment is delayed or cancelled completely. We have made the tough decision to delay the release of […]
What we want to see in FM26
With the disappointment of no FM25 starting to subside, many people are now turning their attention to the next edition of the game, which is FM26. Reports suggest the new edition of the game is likely to be released from the end of October to the start of November. As we all know, the game […]
How to turn FM24 into FM25
The cancellation of FM25 by SI has been highly disappointing, to say the least. Although many, including myself, like FM24, like any game, it becomes stale if you have played it for more than its intended timeframe, i.e. more than a season. There are ways of keeping FM24 fresh and interesting to play, though. Courtesy […]
Promising wingers on FM24
We have reached wingers in our recent series on the most promising players in each position on FM24. Once again, these will not all be renowned wonderkids or world stars. We omitted some players who are well-known and need no introduction. Without further ado, here are some of our favourite promising FM24 wonderkids: Gianluca Prestianni […]
When Analytics Meet Intuition: Managing Like a Modern Football Boss
In the early days of Football Manager, you could get by on vibes alone. Scout a few wonderkids, pick a balanced formation, and ride the wave. But times have changed. Today, managing a club, whether virtually or in real life, demands a sharper blend of data analysis and gut instinct. Fans have become analysts in […]
Five promising midfielders on FM24
Recently, we have been covering promising players in various positions on FM24. These players may not be ‘wonderkids’, but they add their own value to the team they play in with their performances. (Please note this will exclude players who are already established at big clubs) Sverre Halseth Nypan (Rosenborg) The Norwegian midfielder starts the […]
The Biggest Rivalries In Irish Football
Despite Irish football not always receiving the same attention and spotlight as its British or European neighbours, the passion and intensity in these rivalries are not to be mistaken. As fierce as anywhere else in the footballing world, a range of fiery fixtures have cultivated in the League of Ireland and defined the sporting identity […]
The Most Incredible Comebacks From Premier League Sides
Football is known for its dramatic twists and turns, with pure excitement and emotion destined for every big matchup, whether it’s from the fans or the players. F ootball is the biggest sport in the world, with the love for the game spreading to films and even as far as casino slots online. The adoration […]
When Tactics Meet Probability: Football Manager as a Simulation of Strategic Wagering
Football Manager (FM) isn’t just a game—it’s a layered, complex simulation of football strategy, management psychology, and decision-making under pressure. What makes it even more fascinating is how its mechanics echo principles seen in strategic wagering. At its core, both FM and gambling are about understanding probability, analyzing patterns, and managing risk over time. Tactical […]
Tactic Testing: GYR Incredible Hulk by GYR
As we continue to find new ways to attempt to keep FM24 entertaining, we are once again back with another tactic testing article. The latest tactic we tested was the Incredible Hulk by prolific tactic creator GYR. As with most of the tactics we tested, we saw that it had decent reviews, so we thought […]
Promising centre-backs on FM24
In recent articles, we have looked at promising goalkeepers, full-backs and strikers. In today’s article, we look at promising centre-backs on FM24. These may not be the most high-profile, but maybe players who have been far better than their price tag, or have made a lasting impression on our recent saves. Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP) […]
Why South American countries good to scout in FM24?
In Football Manager, the road to glory with your club is very rarely an easy one unless you choose a European powerhouse with a massive transfer budget to spend on transfers and wages. Even then, one of the most critical aspects of Football Manager is recruitment. If you get that right, then more often than […]
Five promising full-backs in FM24
In recent articles, we have looked at promising players, not necessarily wonderkids or the most highly-rated in FM24, but youngsters who progress quickly or are a bargain. We have previously covered goalkeepers and forwards. Today, it’s the turn of the full-backs. So, here are some of the most promising defenders in FM24: (Please note we […]
Mistakes people make while team building on Football Manager
Football Manager is a game that, when you have played it for months, years or even decades, is easy to master. When a new edition comes out, it takes even the expert a few weeks or months to discover the nuances of the new arrival. However, there are a few mistakes you can make, especially […]
Promising young forwards in FM24
When playing Football Manager, there is nothing more exciting than seeing a young player go from promising to a superstar of the game. It could be argued that it is even more exciting when that player is a forward who comes into the team and is prolific for your team. Here are some of the […]
Enhancing Your Game: Tips for Five-A-Side Success
Five-a-side football presents unique challenges and opportunities compared to the standard eleven-a-side game. You need specific skills and tactics to excel in this faster, more technical version of football. Success demands quick thinking, sharp technique, and smart positional play. Essential Skills for Five-a-Side Players Five-a-side football requires a skill set different from that of the […]
Five terrible Premier League signings from over the years
Nowadays, the Premier League is widely regarded as the best domestic competition on the planet. It’s filled with world-class operators FM managers can’t wait to work with, there are many highly respected coaches, and it contains some of the sport’s most iconic stadiums. Despite the competition’s elite levels, though, it has featured some terrible players […]
The football podcasts worth listening to this season and beyond
Alongside playing Football Manager and watching highlights shows like Match of the Day, fans of football also unwind with a football podcast or two throughout an average season. Given the popularity of both the beautiful game and the podcast category of entertainment these days, fans have a comprehensive selection of productions to choose from in […]
Five rising star goalkeepers in FM24
Football Manager 2024 has been out for a long time, but many are still playing the game. Some are starting new saves, as there is little sign of the next addition of the game in the near future. With that in mind, I will cover some of the rising stars of goalkeeping, who, if signed […]
How Real-Life Football Practice Can Make You a Pro In Football Manager
Ever stare blankly after a tough Football Manager loss and wonder why that carefully crafted tactic just blew up? Despite all the data, adjustments, and player analysis, you lost. Why? That’s probably because you don’t have much experience in soccer. So, if you want to gain an edge in Football Manager, you need to practice […]
FM24 Tactic testing: The 2-4-3-1 Bam Bam Bam by FMTacticRoom
As we wait not so patiently for the next instalment of FM, we continue to test different tactics in an effort to find the ones that work well on FM24. The latest tactic we tested was the 2-4-3-1 Bam Bam Bam Bam tactic by FMTacticRoom. This was an interesting one, as at first sight it […]
How to Avoid Financial Pitfalls in Football Manager 2024
There have been remarkable stories of expert Football Manager players going on to manage a club in real life. Transitioning from the virtual world of being an FM24 player to a real managerial role, however, is a big leap. It’s not something that many of the millions of players ever get to experience. Inside the […]
Translating Real Football Training Principles into Success in Football Manager
Managing a football team is a multi-faceted role that involves all aspects of preparations for games, and the direction of games themselves. Success as a manager depends on various factors, from periodisation to diet control, and each of these combined in tandem can make the difference between victory and defeat on the field of play. […]
The next generation of FM player
As somebody who has played Football Manager since it was Championship Manager, I have known the delights of the football sim for a long time. However, my 12-year-old football-mad son has only had a passing interest in Football Manager until this week. EA Sports FC has become unplayable I cannot say that I have been […]
Top 5 Wonderkids You Need to Sign in Football Manager 2024
One of the most exciting aspects of any Football Manager save is discovering and nurturing the next generation of stars. In FM24, scouting and youth development have become even more refined, making wonderkid hunting a crucial part of long-term success. Whether you’re managing a sleeping giant or a lower league project, these five players are […]
Underdog Stories That Changed the Game: From Leicester to Girona
In soccer, budgets and brand names often steal the spotlight. But every so often, a team emerges from the shadows and rewrites the script. These are not just Cinderella stories—they’re strategic triumphs powered by bright recruitment, firm culture, and managers who see the game differently. From Leicester’s improbable Premier League title to Girona’s rise in […]
The life and times of FM11 wonderkid Paulo Henrique ‘Ganso’
Every Championship or Football Manager player has wonderkids that they remember over the years. One player that sticks out to me is Paulo Henrique ‘Ganso’, who first made an appearance in FM11. For me, he was the sort of wonderkid who would surely make it in real life, as he seemed to have all the […]