The Higher Tempo Press
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Welcome to Israel, Mr Rashford 15.4
The fire-sale that I embarked on to prevent Hapoel Ashkelon FC’s board’s profligacy from destroying the club went so well that, by the end of the 2030-31 season, I felt I could look at doing a spot of recruiting. That’s when Marcus Rashford’s agent faxed the club. I was straight on the phone. Between ourselves, […]
The Boys of Borussia Part XV
Welcome to an end of season rundown! I know, you are only just getting your heads round the 4th season which saw Dortmund II win their second 3.Liga title in a row against, many including I felt, all the odds. If you have missed any of the series so far, catch up on it all here! […]
Blackpool manager decides future
The much sought after manager Bruce Parker has decided to leave Blackpool with Portugal his destination. He will join mid-table second division side Uniao Desportiva de Leiria to take on the task of returning them to one of Europe’s top leagues. It has been a turbulent recent history for the team who are yet to […]
Ben Woodburn
Ben Woodburn has burst on to the scene, in a way that is making Jurgen Klopp nervous. After his debut goal in front of the Kop, Kloppo was keen to remind everyone to be patient with his young wonderkid. Wales ignored the German and called him straight into their squad to avoid England pinching them […]
The Boys of Borussia Part XIV
I said top five, right? I said I’d be happy with a top five season and call that a job well done? Then the terrible two-some of Tommy T and Zorc sold three players that were going to have a huge impact, remember that bit? Yeah, best thing that could have happened to us. Read […]
Tempo Experiments #002: The Totti Takeover!
The Roma legend plays his last ever match for AS Roma this weekend, so what will he do next? Well, with Spalletti rumoured to be leaving this summer, what if Totti went straight in the dugout? It’s over to Gendo to show us what happens… Oh, and subscribe. If we hit 200 subs by the […]
COYW! Season 1, October
THE OBJECTIVE: TO MANAGE MY HOME TOWN CLUB, DOVER ATHLETIC, IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. DOVER HAVE NEVER PLAYED LEAGUE FOOTBALL. I AM GOING TO TRY AND CHANGE THAT. October There are three things that you can guarantee in life; death, taxes and Dover Athletic matches involving lots of goals. My defence is certainly not iron […]
Get him on the plane 15.3
I said I was lousy at splashing the cash. In his first season and a half at Hapoel Ashkelon FC, Roi Sela, my record (£1.8 million) signing has played 27 league matches and accumulated a total of 6 goals. 27/6 = 4.5. So when the board’s profligacy leads me to launch a mid-season fire sale, […]
Southampton’s Black Box: Part 1
When you think of Southampton F.C., what comes to mind? Youth development? Overachievement? A selling club? All of these things are true. However, when I imagine Southampton, I think of prepared. Southampton is always prepared for anything. Yes, a state-of-the-art youth academy with world class coaching staff helps, but it’s the transfer policy that I’m […]
Rivalità Tra Fratelli, Episode 7
This is the story of two brothers, a modern-day Cain versus Abel if you will, based in the northern powerhouse Italian city of Milan. If you’d like to replicate this challenge, we’re using the updated medium database with the following leagues: England (Premier League, Championship, League One & League Two), Italy (Serie A & Serie […]
Eibar: An Analytics Story Part 6 – Half a Season
Hey, we are back with the 6th part of Eibar – An Analytics Story. Today we’ll talk about how the first half of the season went with a focus on our defence. You’ll see why in a second: Results since last time: As you can see, in the 7 matches since last time we only […]
Searching The Stats v3.5
Episode 5 – Attacking Playmaker Part 1 Episode 1 – Introduction and full-backs Episode 2 – Centre-backs Episode 3 – BWM + B2B Midfielders Episode 4 – Central Midfield Our first attacking playmaker is going to be our main creator (set with a support mentality). It’s his job to spray passes around and look for […]
Run, Forest! Run! Part 12: Purgatory
And there we are: purgatory. Only three matches away from the Promised Land. We start our road to the Premier League against our rivals Derby County. We have a mixed record against our neighbors. The first match at the iPro Stadium on December 10th was lost 2-1, but we set the record straight at the […]
The Boys of Borussia Part XIII
“What? We still have to play? What do you mean we cannot rearrange the game? We used to be able to. This is f*****g stupid, we have eight players away on internationals for f**k’s sake, and you expect us to play Munster? Incredible. 52 matches unbeaten, gone. Just like that. Except it wasn’t just like that, it […]
A Guide to Transfers, Wages and Squad Structure
I have a big issue with transfers in real life. Clubs spend big money on big players and have not delivered. Managers spend random amounts of money on random players. Two different situations and two underperforming teams. In Football Manager a solid transfer policy is the difference between riches and glory or poverty and impotence. […]
Losing the farm 15.2
As I mentioned before, the £8 million quid we received from Barcelona for our goalless wonder, Elidiano, has made us financially secure. Since then I’ve been able to do all the deals I want whilst maintaining a cash balance of round about the £10 million and keeping the wage expenditure to well under half the […]
The Tempo Champions League: Juventus vs Bayern Munich
Champions League Semi Final (Sponsored by The Higher Tempo Press) ChrisHatton (Juventus) vs Slatham19 (Bayern Munich) Tactics ChrisHatton: I decided to take a risk and play the same formation and team as I did in the first leg with a 4-1-4-1. The midfield should keep relatively tight to the defence, whilst hopefully having enough on […]
The Tempo Champions League: Borussia Dortmund vs Atletico Madrid
Champions League Semi Final (Sponsored by The Higher Tempo Press) Reids (Dortmund) vs TheMetodoFM (Atletico Madrid) The Tactics Reids tactics: After my triumph against a very solid and talented Monaco side in the quarter-final, I was drawn against a different kettle of fish with Atletico Madrid. Whilst Monaco have the ability to attack with recklessness, […]
#Tempo10: We need to talk about Pep and these inverted wingbacks of his…
We’re back! Yes, we did warn you it wouldn’t be a podcast every other day. Sorry about that. But today, Chris is joined by @distancecovered to talk about the key things you need to think about when trying to replicate Pep’s tactical framework. It’s only ten minutes, have a listen – you might pick up […]
To Dare Is To Do #19
FM17 Tottenham Hotspur FC To Dare Is To Do | #19 Transfer Special | Let’s Play Football Manager 2017 Today we take a look at all the in-comings and outgoings from the summer transfer window. We also take a look at our first 2 games of the season before taking on Brighton at the AMEX […]
Konquering Kosovo with Ferronikeli: 2022/23 Season
I’m coming home I’m coming home Tell the world I’m coming home Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday I know my kingdom awaits and they’ve forgiven my mistakes I’m coming home, I’m coming home Tell the world that I’m coming Yes, I’m quoting a Puff Daddy/P Diddy/Sean Combs/whatever he calls himself […]
Back in the USSR: Does May equal Promotion?
Five games and eight points. That’s all that stands in the way of greatness, we’re so close to promotion I can almost taste it. The pressure is mounting and the press are doing their best to ramp up the importance of every game. According to them, I can secure promotion as long as all results […]
Prodigal son 15.1
Summer, 2030. The line from Ashkelon to New York wasn’t the best. “Hello, is that Chris Darwen? Anthony here. Er, Anthony Haynes. No, well I don’t expect you can remember all of your writers names. I mean now that you’ve acquired News International, I expect you have a very large address book. It’s just that back […]
Run, Forest! Run! Part 11: Enchanted April
We start April immediately with a match on April Fools’ Day, but Preston are by no means fools. They have performed very well and are 13th in the table. They have nothing left to play for, but I don’t consider that an advantage. Pinillos has recovered from his abdominal strain, only to fall awkwardly during […]
Los Hombres de Futbol: Sam Allardyce and David Moyes in La Liga
In our latest FM experiment piece, we have been tasked with answering that burning question we all ask ourselves: how would Big Sam and Moyesy do in charge of Spain’s premier clubs? David Moyes has packed his factor 5000 and set his sights on becoming the latest in a string of legendary managers to propel […]
The Ultimate Journey: Bienvenido a Mexico!
We have moved again, but where have we gone? We’ve have had a great time in the series but we are yet to have covered the west, as I was able to win the domestic leagues in Africa, Australia and now China that meant it was time to move over to North America and I […]
The Boys of Borussia Part XII
Welcome back to this glorious adventure. Let’s have a little recap, shall we? I, in my wisdom, decided to have another crack at managing a B-Team, with the solemn promise not to leave until they give me the first team job. I learned a lot in the Boys of Bilbao and I also learned where […]
Banished to Bromley Part 4: A Time For Firsts
To pick up where we left off I’m currently looking to guide Bromley to a top half finish in the Vanarama National League, but after picking up just 4 points from my first 3 league games I’ll need an improvement in form to achieve that. Today we face Aldershot Town who had the exact same […]
What a club doctor is for 14.8
EARLY SUMMER, 2030: No, Mr Almalem, you’re right: the season was a massive disappointment. Yes, the target was qualifying for Europe and we finished bottom half. And, as you say, a club like us was always going to be capable of lifting the State Cup, so our success there was no big deal. However you […]
Malang Sarr
Welcome to the player review of Malang Sarr. Malang is another defender that you may not be aware of. Many people choose not to move for a young defender, worrying about inexperience. So, in this review we take a look at this promising defender and see what he turns into. What do you get for […]
Tempo YouTube Needs You!!
Calling all YouTube content creators! As you may, or may not, know we’ve taken the plunge at Tempo Towers and have embraced YouTube as quickly as Arsene embraced a change of tactics – about five years later than everyone else 🙂 Still, now we are here we are going to do it bloody well. We […]
Brexit Bournemouth Part 25
So, here we are: the final stretch. With nine games to go, United are ten points ahead. There’s a lot of work to be done to make up that gap but our eyes are on the prize and we’re going to run full tilt at it. Before we get down to the nitty gritty though, there’s the small […]
Disciple of the Rafalution, Tactical Prelude 1
The Gospel according to Rafa Tactical Prelude 1 Rafa Benitez was an obsessive when it came to tactics & preparation. As a child, Rafa played Stratego, a military-based board game where players were tasked with out-manoeuvring their opponents. It was this same mentality that Rafa brought with him to management and coaching. Although formations may […]
Rivalità Tra Fratelli, Episode 6
This is the story of two brothers, a modern-day Cain versus Abel if you will, based in the northern powerhouse Italian city of Milan. If you’d like to replicate this challenge, we’re using the updated medium database with the following leagues: England (Premier League, Championship, League One & League Two), Italy (Serie A & Serie […]
Concentrating on the cups 14.7
At Hapoel Ashkelon FC, we set off on the 2029-30 season in high spirits. I told the players our goal is to go one better than last season and win the league. We played well in the qualifying rounds of the Euro Cup. We lost, narrowly, to Leicester in the play-off, but I don’t mind […]
The Boys of Borussia Part XI
Folks, I warned you in the last piece that history might be on the cards. Well, was history made? And what is exactly is this history I speak of? Read Part I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX and X here. Very simply, Dortmund II have never won 3.Liga. An Englishman has never won 3.Liga. 3.Liga has never […]
Banished To Bromley Part 3: The End of the Beginning
So, it’s August 6th and I have my first league game as Bromley manager today against Tranmere Rovers in a 3 o’clock kick off at Hayes Lane, great. Just to remind you I’m aiming to finish at least in the top half this season which everybody at the club believes we can so I’m hoping […]
Blackpool’s awful run comes to an end amid speculation over managers’ future
Blackpool’s awful run comes to an end amid speculation over managers’ future Blackpool picked up their first win in 11 league games with their 2-0 away win over Bradford City recently. The side had been on a poor run since mid September and had seen them slip from top to 11th place in League One. […]
Disciple of the Rafalution, Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Finding Our Feet As I have said in the Introduction pieces of this series, tactically my hands are bound in following in the footsteps of Rafa Benitez during his tenure at Liverpool. In the opening stage of the season (Pre-Season, then August to the September/October), I have attempted to put my own interpretations […]
To Dare Is To Do #18
FM17 Tottenham Hotspur FC To Dare Is To Do | #18 Extra Innings | Let’s Play Football Manager 2017 Today we take on Sunderland in the FA Cup Final! Can we repeat the success of bygone eras and complete the Cup double? Join me on this adventure on Football Manager 2017. Thanks for coming to […]
Tempo Experiments #001: Allegri to Arsenal
In a world where Arsene Wenger either gets sacked or believe it or not, quits, someone has to take over. Well at Tempo Towers we are rarely original so we thought that the Juventus manager on the verge of a historic treble might fancy a go at the Premier League. Let’s see how he would […]
Banished to Bromley Part 2: Pre-Season
So it’s now July 2nd and its already time for me to start earning that £775 a week Bromley are paying me. Today we have that friendly with the under 23’s so hopefully some players on both sides can make a good first impression. Leading up to the game assistant manager and head of youth […]
COYW! Season 1, September
THE OBJECTIVE: TO MANAGE MY HOME TOWN CLUB, DOVER ATHLETIC, IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. DOVER HAVE NEVER PLAYED LEAGUE FOOTBALL. I AM GOING TO TRY AND CHANGE THAT. September A good mornings training is ruined by the fact my fax machine is the bearer of bad news. We are to be without Sam Magri and […]
Brexit Bournemouth Part 24
We end the year with greatest gift anyone could possibly dream of: a date with Tim Sherwood, the Patron Saint of Brexit. The third round of the FA Cup (which, bizarrely, takes place on the 29th of December) sees us entertain Brentford once again. It all ends in tears for Tactics. Adam Smith dominated the […]
#FMSlack Q&A with @FM_Samo
Monday saw the next in our series of chats with the writers for Tempo on the FM Slack channel. This week was with the pioneer behind the FM Slack and occasional writer for HTP FM_Samo. The first part of the questioning related to the FM Slack and the community in general. FM_Adventure, fresh from his […]
Board in the USA 23: Lessons Learnt
Board in the USA 23: Lessons Learnt This final update will serve as a review of all the learning points throughout this 4 season-long journey with Atlanta United that I have shared with you, the reader. I am sad that it is finally coming to an end, but all good things eventually must. Buckle up, […]
Clean sheet merchant 14.6
I do well with goalies. I don’t get the kind that photographers love. Peter Bonetti-types, leaping cat like across the goal to acrobatically tip the ball over one-handed. I loved Bonetti, but he’s not the kind I buy. I buy rugged guys — guys who get very bad temepered if they’re beaten and who usually […]
#TempoYouTube: Recreating Pep G’s Inverted Wing Back tactic in #FM17
Well, the welcome video was only that. A welcome video. Now we are getting down to the real stuff. @DistanceCovered wrote a fine piece on Pep G’s Manchester City tactic that has led City to, er, maybe 3rd place in the Premier League this season. But we know some of you fine folk like a […]
Run, Forest! Run! Part 10: Ides of March
March is the penultimate full month of regular competition football. It is therefore vital we secure a top six position. April will be very busy with 7 matches in 29 days and we have to compensate for the inevitable loss of points due to fatigue. This month we will face Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford […]
Searching the Stats v3.4
Episode 4 – Centre Midfield Previous episodes: Episode 1 – Introduction and full-backs Episode 2 – Centre-backs Episode 3 – BWM + B2B Midfielders In this episode we’ll be after a CM (Au), as the Centre Mid is required to play a pretty versatile role, helping out in both attack and defence we require him to […]