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#FM17 : Forward Asia : Celebest
Nearly a decade ago, I briefly dallied in the realm of LLM. It’s a daunting and difficult world, starting at the bottom with a strict set of rules to keep things as realistic as possible, but it’s left a lasting impression or indelible scar on me, depending on your viewpoint. I’ve never been able […]
#FM17 : Keeping the Titanic afloat : Controlling your Finances
For the past week I have come across the same question in multiple Football Manager related Facebook groups and the question roughly goes like this: “Help me, I don’t pass the FPP with my team. What should I do?” While telling people to sell they high earners in the comment section, I still felt […]
#FM17: Hapoel Hope 1.17: Mein sweeper system
On the evening of the first day of Hapoel Ashkelon FC’s training camp in Berlin, I sneak out for a wheat beer. I need time to think about what our starting formations will be. Plus I like wheat beer. On the plane from Israel I decided we’d try a kind of 4-4-2, in effect […]
CM9798 tackles #FM17: Part 1 – I Don’t Belong Here
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO CLICK ON. Oh, hello there. I’ve fired up FM17 and I’m desperately trying to get to grips with it. I’ve just inked a one year contract with Newcastle, earning a cool £47.5k per week, but with it being a one year deal I’m going to have my work […]
#FM17 : The Last King of Scotland 2:2
The Last King of Scotland A Hibernian Tale: Part 2:2 Extract from the Managers diary: ‘Garry, I know this is a strange question but do you have a paddle?’ My assistant Garry only has to think about it briefly. ‘No Gaffer. I don’t. Why?’ ‘Because we’re up shit creek here without a bloody paddle!’ Year […]
#FM17 : Make Feyenoord Great Again : S01E01 : Inaugural Address
After sporadically semi-blogging many a save on Twitter, I’ve decided to give actual blogging a go. Now, with me leaving the Twittersphere with my Football Manager escapades, I thought I’d pay homage to it and the political shit-fest it morphed into for a good chunk of 2016. So, I’m vowing to make a club […]
#FM17 : #1 Am I Better Than? : Guardiola
Amazingly there are still people out there who question Guardiola’s footballing philosophy. Ok, so everyone is entitled to their own opinion so here is mine. What he’s done in a relatively short period in management, especially at Barcelona was nothing short of magical. Some will say Tiki-Taka is boring, not for me, I could watch […]
#FM17 : 5 teams and 5 challenges in Hungary
So you decided to become a manager in Hungary but you don’t know which team to pick? Looking for some challenges? Maybe you want to emulate the great Puskás? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this post is for you! Here’s five interesting challenges to have in Hungary! 1. Újpest Don’t […]
#FM17 : [Hot Seat] 1.3 : Back to school
Looking around at some of the bloated, out of breath shapes occupying the dressing room cubicles, it’s fairly evident that preseason hasn’t kicked off just yet. Rhys Bennett has strained his wrist – a likely consequence of bringing his hand to his mouth once too often over the summer – and Darius’ food baby, […]
#FM17 : [Second Half] 15 : Final Whistle
Ebbsfleet stood in the way of Bishop’s Stortford making history. They have never gone beyond the Conference South leagues and winning the Final would bring them up to unchartered territories. As it stands, their 13 games unbeaten streak is already the stuff of record books. Jac had called for a team huddle in the […]
#FM17 : The Hapoel Hope 1.16 : 1966 re-engineered
I’m always surprised how early the pilot announces we’re beginning our descent. Feels like we’re only half way there. Hapoel Ashkelon FC’s Berlin training camp is fast approaching. My colleagues around me all look quite relaxed. They wouldn’t be feeling like that if they knew how far from deciding any tactics the gaffer was […]
#FM17 : The Wise Men of West Brom
Everyone knows you don’t win anything with kids, just ask Manchester United in 1999. The same can be said for the 2015/16 Premier league season. For the majority of the season two teams were gunning for top spot, Leicester City and Spurs. It was Leicester, with an average age of 28.5, finishing above the […]
#FM17 : The Boys of Bilbao 6.2 : Titleless, literally.
“Lads, next time we take the lead against fucking Juve would you mind holding on to it just for once?” I admit, I didn’t say this to the boys after the TIM Cup Final but I was tempted. Three times this season we had scored first in the Turin derby and each time Juventus […]
#FM17: The Hapoel Hope 1.14: What makes a club unfashionable?
On asking around, I find that Hapoel Ashkelon FC have no close rivals. My first reaction is, ‘Good!’ It means there are no can’t-afford-to-lose matches. But it also suggests that we’re unfashionable. I once sat down to try to work out what an ‘unfashionable club’ was – if like me you have managed clubs […]
#FM17 : Blades Of Glory #1 : The Intro
Hi guys! Episode 1 of my BRAND New series – Blades of Glory, please check it out and don’t forget to smash that like button!! If you haven’t subscribed to the channel please do so. Please enjoy Episode 1 where I give you an introduction to the players of Sheffield United FC.
Atalanta: The Rise of La Dea – April 2016
La Dea headed into April, after an international break, hoping to have consigned their three game wobble against Samp, Milan and Joe Hart’s Torino to the history books after two successive clean sheets in a 3-0 win over Bologna and a 0-0 draw at Empoli. We held a six point lead over Fiorentina and Inter […]
CM9798 tackles #FM17: Back to the Future
I consider myself as being quite good at Championship Manager. Hopefully you have enjoyed my various series on The Higher Tempo Press as I’ve taken the Brits Abroad on CM9798, Scotland to the World Cup Final on CM 01/02 and nearly taken Newcastle to the title on the first CM. But something has been […]
#FM17 : Taste The Feeling Episode 11 : Onto 18/19
The last episode focused mainly on the acquisition of Coca Cola Silkeborg, and we’ve covered their transfers – but what about Antwerp’s? We’ve lost several key players to strengthening Silkeborg which means we need reinforcements. So welcome to the following (as usual click the link for their stats) Transfers Since a bunch of players left […]
#FM17 : The Hapoel Hope 1.13 : How do you scout for a left-back?
Yes, I know that’s a really basic question. If you don’t know how to do it, you shouldn’t be playing. But over the years I’ve tried to refine my approach, just to make sure no prospect slips through the net. So here’s how it goes. First, search for players who are naturally left backs. […]
#FM17 : Burnley and the Quest for 17th Part 2 : Rising
“Our greatest glory is not never falling, but rising each time we do.” Our rise has begun. We sit in 16th place, clear of the relegation zone by one point. After a difficult start our goal difference is more negative than a David Moyes post match interview. Every point will be crutial. Next we […]
#FM17 : Hapoel Hope 1.12 : Squad evaluation
Within a couple of days, all my contract offers have been signed and sealed. The new recruits start to rock up and we all have a cup of tea together so as to start getting to know each other. Placente struggles, with his lack of Hebrew, but Rozenthal can speak with him in Spanish. […]
CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGER : Kicks for Free – Part 2
Well look who came crawling back. As we embark on trying to make our way in life without paying for anything, we’ve been drawing on inspirational stories to try and get us through this. Somebody once traded a paper clip for a house, with a million other trades in between. But still, very impressive, […]
#FM17 : What Is A Gable Endie? The Montrose Story : Part 1
My mission: Take over the world with Montrose, and find out whether my tweaks and tactical tinkering actually does anything… So my name is Amanda, and this is my story… Several years ago, in a fit of pique, I put Football Manager out of my life – oh I’d been through a lot, stretching […]
#FM17 : The Hapoel Hope 1.11 : Ploy to improve finances
In parallel universes (known as FM14, FM15, and FM16) I’ve often managed clubs that have three squads – the first team, the reserve (or B) team, and the youth squad. A youth squad imposes a strain on club finances, not least because of the need for dedicated staff. One ploy I’ve used is to […]
#FM17 : The Last King of Scotland 2:1
The Last King of Scotland A Hibernian Tale: Part 2:1 Extract from the Managers diary: ‘Look, Garry. Look.’ Garry Parker sighs. He’s assisted me for roughly a year now and so is well adjusted to my eccentricities. ‘What’s wrong Gaffer?’ He shifts himself so he can look out of the window and see where I’m […]
#FM17 : The Boys of Bilbao 6.1 : Fizzer, go home!
“Phil mate, if you go what the hell am I going to do? I thought we were a team. I was going to take you to Bilbao and everything.” United had been on the phone. José, who I have to say is getting pretty close to being on the same list as Paco and […]
#FM17 : The Boys of Bilbao 5.4 : How did that happen?!
“How the hell did we finish 4th gaffer?” mused Fizzer over our regular morning café solo. The answer was pretty simple, it was the same reason his brother got bombed out of Valencia. We weren’t up to scratch. We had shocked the “Big Three” last season by finishing third, and they weren’t going to […]
#FM17 : What would happen if Steven Gerrard managed Liverpool?
Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard, recently announced his retirement from the game after his contract expired at LA Galaxy. Unlike his former team-mate and friend Jamie Carragher, Gerrard has set his sights on a career in management and was offered the MK Dons job which he rejected. The former Liverpool captain is now set to […]
#FM17 : [Hot Seat] 1.2 : Pressing issues
I fumble, bleary-eyed, in the darkness. The phone vibrates on the nightstand with the unwelcome intrusion of a pneumatic drill. 5.49am. Incoming call. Richard Cooper. “I think now would be a good time to introduce yourself to the players and let them know what you expect of them.” Either I’m dreaming, or he is. […]
#FM17 : Illuminating Blackpool # 7 | Downtown | Let’s Play Football Manager 2017
Please check out my latest episode of Illuminating Blackpool in this episode we take on Yeovil Town. If you missed the other episodes in the series you can find them all in the playlist. If you would also like to subscribe to the channel please do so!
#FM17: Hapoel Hope 1.10: Not for faint-hearted Baggies
At the end of my first working day at the helm of Hapoel Ashkelon FC, I return to the café where I had lunch. I’d asked them to keep the unfinished bottle of cabernet sauvignon behind the bar. Now I can unwind a little. Over a glass or several I reflect on who my […]
#FM17 : The Boys of Bilbao 5.3 : Will I get a statue?
“I wonder what it is like to be a hero in Setúbal, would it be like being the tallest dwarf in the village?” When you are in the situation we found ourselves in with eight game to go, you pray for a few results to go your way. Had my pre-match comments about the […]
#FM17 : [Second Half] 14 – Wishing you well
The 8:30am coffee run has become some sort of a ritual and the baristas know what to prepare for their regular customer by now. Having seen his gradual ascension to recognition, the folks behind the counter pride themselves as having known Jac Grey before he became a mini-celebrity. In return, Jac simply expects to […]
#FM17 : The Boys of Bilbao 5.2 : Hang on, we’re in this…
“Bloody hell Fizzer, we could actually win this.” As the results came in it was clear that, somehow, we were right in a battle for the title. It had kinda creeped up on us but with eight games left we had a two point lead over 4th placed Porto and, assuming Benfica won their […]
#FM17 : The Hapoel Hope 1.9 : At the end of the day
One task remains before I bring an amazingly industrious and productive first day as manager of Hapoel Ashkelon FC to a close: I need a defence coach. In principle, this is pretty straightforward. I hear that there’s one very good defence coach available. But he prefers a direct playing style, which I’m not sure […]
#FM17 : [Second Half] 13 – Intervention needed
The 77th minute equaliser by Wealdstone’s Aiden Palmer meant that The Blues had to win the return leg in the away fixture. Many had hoped that they could knick a win at home and then close up shop to get them into the finals but that plan had to be thrown away. Jac was now staring […]
#FM17 : The Libero : A Total Defending Approach
Call it a hipster approach if you wish, but I firmly believe in the fact that the FM tactical creator as well as the ME allow you to explore to great depth the immense complexity of this game, even though we will probably never see complaints about how poor they are ever stop. Inspired by one […]
#FM17 : The Chilean Footballing Re-Structure | FM17 League Guide
South American football is difficult to understand at the best of times. In Brazil you have several independent pyramids. There are the national and state pyramids. There are teams that often compete in both in the same year. In Argentinean Primera Division has 30 clubs which will be gradually reduced to 24 by June […]
#FM17 : The Last King of Scotland
The Last King of Scotland A Hibernian Tale Edinburgh, home to a vast history stemming hundred if not thousands of years. A rich culture, once the very forefront of scientific discovery. A city of riches, with their finance sector second only to London in the whole of the UK. Edinburgh then, the heart of Scotland. […]
#FM17 : Burnley and the Quest for 17th
“If the road is easy, you’re likely going the wrong way” I have no affiliation to Burnley, the place or the team. Sure, like everyone else I thought it was a shame when they were relegated in 2014/15, but in all honesty I was a little underwhelmed when they bounced back. Since the start […]
#FM17 : Trainspotting : The Sequel
Like all bad sequels there is the initial euphoria and the excitement. But this is then followed by regret. The highs that you were hoping fade. This was the story of my season The season began with a defeat but this was only om the cup. However, there was disappointment as the game went […]
#FM17 : Taste The Feeling Episode 10 : A New Addition!
So we’ve achieved promotion bang on schedule and based on how we performed in the league both this year and last year I think it’s time to add another club to our portfolio! It’s a year ahead of schedule, but with the sheer volume of players coming into the club over the summer (along with the […]
#FM17 : Football Manager Zone Player Guide : Dominic Iorfa (Wolves)
#FM16 : Atalanta : The Rise of La Dea : March 2016
A promising start to 2016 had been somewhat soured by our loss to Sampdoria at the end of February, but our battling point at home to Milan proved we had the mettle for the Champions League qualification fight. The remaining eleven fixtures were very much divided; I felt we had to restart our momentum and […]
#FM17 : [Second Half] 12 : Calamity at Priory Lane
“So Simon Haworth has been asking questions about the bad state of the pitch at the Prokit Stadium. What do you have to say to that Jac?” “Well… both teams will be playing on the same pitch so it affects them as much as us really. I don’t see an issue. I think it will […]
#FM17 : The Boys of Bilbao 5.1 : Benfica beaten?
Fizzer and I hugged and both breathed a huge sigh of relief. The duck had finally been broken. We had beaten one of the “Big Three” and it had left us emotionally spent. Although we managed to topple Sporting last season in the league position sense, we hadn’t managed to win any of the […]
CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGER: Kicks for Free – Part 1
It’s another CM01/02 challenge! Only this time, there are a few differences. For one, I’ m not alone. I’m being joined by my good friend Ross Jacobs – he’s a Spurs fan, but don’t let that put you off. We wanted to do some sort of two man CM challenge, and whilst a network […]
#FM17 : [Second Half] 11 : An eye on the future
“Congratulations on the 10th straight unbeaten game boss!” said Nancy as she stepped into the sparse office of the club manager. “Thank You Nancy, and I hope you’ve got some good news for me to continue that momentum?” Jac had given the instruction to open contract discussions with some of the current players […]
#FM16 : Atalanta : The Rise of La Dea : February 2016
Atalanta sat 2nd in Serie A, five points clear of 3rd placed Fiorentina. Having escaped a tough January with 10 points out of 12, February saw us play the teams lying in 18th (Crotone), 17th (Palermo), 6th (Lazio), 16th (Sampdoria) and 12th (Milan). This month represented a chance to take a huge stride towards the Champions […]
#FM17 : [Second Half] 10 – Olivia
“I’m telling you man, that’s the kind of results that’s going to make it all possible. Remember how the old Fergie team used to grind out results when they were playing like shit? Or all the one-nil that Mourinho used to get. Fuck man, they might be able to do this.” “Don’t be […]