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Inept International Manager: Ep. 5
Click here to find previous episodes of the Inept International Manager Last time on the Inept International Manager we left Louis Henrik taking a notepad, a pen, a pot of tea and a bag of mint imperials into a dark room. He has since emerged with a scrawled squad list in hand. He hands it […]
Chronicles of a Chancer Part III: Final Leg
Spanish Inquisition Barcelona B: Part 3 ‘Hi Marc, take a seat.’ Marc Cardona sits down opposite me. ‘I’ve asked you to come here because I need to discuss your recent performances.’ ‘Right,’ he said, bemused. ‘No problem boss.’ ‘I need you to improve your form if you want to stay in the first team.’ ‘Eh? […]
Letou Decide: Swansea City vs. Portsmouth Preview
Later today (kick-off at 5:30pm, live coverage on @TheHigherTempo) Swansea welcome League One side Portsmouth to the Liberty Stadium in the fifth round of this season’s FA Cup. It’s one I am desperate to win, although I’m not exactly sharing that fact with the players. In fact, if you read yesterday’s press conference then you’ll […]
Scars And Stripes Episode 15: Play-Off Promises & Potential
We’re into the play-offs yet again after a record-breaking season where we secured the most ever points (83) of a side in the MLS. It’s all very nice but I want to go all the way- particularly as we fell short at the final hurdle last season. I’m unlikely to lose my job but from […]
Letou Decide: Mlog 16th February
After last Saturday’s debacle of a press conference when I was asked just two questions, I’m assuming today’s engagement will be brief and I can go back to selecting my team to face Portsmouth. It’s an interesting consideration because Portsmouth are actually doing really well under interim boss Stuart Pearce in League One, they’re second […]
Tactics Tested: Manchester City
Barca Style of Play Pep Guardiola started to implement his playing style upon his Man City team almost as soon as he arrived last season, but with an ageing squad and after a disappointing season with Bayern, he couldn’t reach the dizzying heights of his old Barcelona side. Last summer, however, he made significant signings, […]
FM18: 5 Things To Do When Setting Up A Tactic
Welcome to a new series here on The Higher Tempo as a collection of our best Football Manager writers take a look at guiding you through ‘5 Things’ to do when undertaking a particular task on Football Manager 2018. In this guide, we’re looking at setting up a tactic, which is something we all do […]
Bringing Back Brum Episode 10
FM18 Birmingham City | Bringing Back Brum | Ep 10 Bang Bang | Football Manager 2018 Welcome to a current series on my channel where we try to return Birmingham City to the Premier League, after 4 managers in just over 12 months stability is key. In Episode 10 we welcome Sunderland to St Andrews […]
Letou Decide: Player Profile – Daniel James
I spent last night at Holmes Park to watch Leicester City U23’s vs. Swansea City U23’s. My brother, the oft-forgotten Mike Tango, tells me that the sign of a good team is a strong U23 side but I’m fairly sure he picked that up from a book I forced him to read. In the end […]
Vive la Révolution Part XII: Amateurs doing amateur things
Catch up on the story so far… “It’s been mentioned quite a lot already, but Cannes will now end the first half of the season in 6th place, just four points off automatic promotion. Considering you are still an amateur team, that is quite incredible especially when you sit two points above St Etienne who […]
AFC Bournemouth: Cherry Picking Episode Two
Welcome back to Cherry Picking for Episode Two. The last part saw me traverse pre-season, struggling to work out my best starting XI whilst also conceding the usual sloppy goals typically associated with the majority of my defenders on every save. After winning five games out of the six, I came into the start of […]
Making Blackburn Rovers Great Again – Episode #1
Once upon a time at Ewood Park, a man named Kenny Dalglish led a Blackburn Rovers team which included Alan Shearer, Tim Sherwood and Chris Sutton to their first and to date, only Premier League title. That was 23 years ago. Today the club finds itself in English football’s third tier, but with the use […]
Letou Decide: League Update
As it’s Wednesday and nothing good ever happens on a day referred by some of my players as ‘hump’ day, I’m taking that to mean the crossing of the bridge over the middle of the week and not a more Netflix & Chill version, I’ve sent the players out onto the training pitch with Nigel […]
Tempo10 – Questions and Answers
Mike and Samo bring a host of questions with them this week. Celebrating the new Tempo10Podcast twitter account reaching 100 subscribers, we asked #Tempo10Podcast on slack, and via Twitter, for questions. Mike tells a story which involves Mikael Forssell on a birthday card, and Samo gives us a sneak behind the scenes revealing he is quite similar […]
Canary Corner – Part 11
Hello and welcome back to Norfolk for some more CM01/02 madness. It’s the middle part of season 4, which to be brutally honest is where my previous couple of seasons have gone badly awry. Results have been decent but Moukoko’s impending bitch fit about not getting a move to Chelsea is a cloud hanging over […]
Letou Decide: Crystal Palace vs Swansea City Match Review
I think it says a lot about me as a Football Manager that after last night’s victory over relegation rivals Crystal Palace and despite having amassed a fairly impressive record of six wins out of eight, I think there might be something wrong with me because I’m still angry about Arsenal. If we’d have avoided […]
Scars And Stripes Episode 14: Domination In The Nation
The MLS should now just be known as ‘Josh Challies’ Atlanta United & some other teams to make up the numbers’. With six games to go, we clinched the MLS Supporter’s Shield for the third season in a row and we’ll start in the Play-Offs at the conference semi-final stage once again. You may wonder […]
Tempo Tactics: FM18 Defensive Play
“If I want to win 1-0 I think I can as I think it is one of the easiest things in football. It is not so difficult.” – Jose Mourinho I don’t believe he plays FM18 – noted sponsorship with alternative mobile football management sim aside. In my experience trying to get a 1-nil win […]
The IC…Geracao de Ouro #9: I raid the teams of Africa
I didn’t think I’d have the time to quite get through enough to justify an update this week but the gods of time have conspired with me and I got through a fair whack including finding maybe the first great young star of this save. Transfers As you can see, I’ve been a very busy […]
Bringing Back Brum Episode 9
FM18 Birmingham City | Bringing Back Brum | Ep 9 Magic Of The Cup | Football Manager 2018 Welcome to a current series on my channel where we try to return Birmingham City to the Premier League, after 4 managers in just over 12 months stability is key. In Episode 9 we travel to National […]
Letou Decide: Crystal Palace vs. Swansea City Preview
After a weekend where I was able to check out the other results, I’m feeling rather content whatever happens this evening. The Premier League results over the weekend were: Apologies for the way the graphic has been thrown together, but the information you need is all there. Of the teams below us, Leicester City lost […]
Inept International Manager: Ep.4
Click here to find previous episodes of the Inept International Manager Last week we left our protagonist Louis Henrik being ushered in to meet the press before selecting a squad for the upcoming World Cup play-off against Azerbaijan. Dave Gallop and Steven Lowy are nowhere to be seen, leaving Louis to face the journalists alone. […]
Chronicles of a Chancer Part II: Winter Blues
Spanish Inquisition Barcelona B: Part 2 ‘–Merry Christmas – everyone!’ ‘My favourite, this one.’ The dressing room was silent. All of the players where sat on the club benches after getting changed and prepped for the game. I skipped over to the iPod speaker and twirled the volume to make it blast out louder. My […]
Letou Decide: Mlog 10th February
Already this morning I’ve batted away Sky Sports’ Bob Bell with a question about whether I’ve effectively replaced Wayne Routledge with André Ayew. Considering Routledge has been injured for my entire tenure in Wales and only made eight substitute appearances under Stuart Reid, I don’t think it’s a case of Ayew replacing Routledge as Wayne […]
Vive la Révolution Part XI: Cannes we do it? Yes we Cannes!
Catch up on the story so far… It feels right to start today’s little update with my emotions iinterpretedthrough the medium of dance. AS Cannes, that amateur team I keep banging on about, are that Championnat National 1 CHAMPIONS. Yes, champions. We’ve finished ahead of the four teams spending more than €3m a year on wages. […]
Scars And Stripes Episode 13: International Frustrations & MLS All-Stars
I’m sick of the MLS schedule, I really am. We’ve enjoyed a storming campaign but things have become a bit more difficult over the course of the summer months as my squad has been completely ravaged by international call-ups. The U20 World Cup, Copa America, African Cup of Nations and Gold Cup saw many of […]
Letou Decide: Mlog 9th February
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Hey, it’s Friday! It’s time for some press conference goodness as old Charlie Tango can be relied upon for some wit and football related banter.” And while you would be 100% correct, this weekend’s game is actually on Monday night. We’ve been selected for television coverage, which is […]
AFC Bournemouth: Cherry Picking Episode One
Having played a ridiculous amount of hours on both Football Manager 15 and 16, I’m ashamed to say that I took my foot off the gas last year. All sorts of things got in the way of a consistent save on FM17, despite occasional highlights at various minnows around Europe. But this year, it’s time […]
Bringing Back Brum Episode 8
FM18 Birmingham City | Bringing Back Brum | Ep 8 Tactical Genius | Football Manager 2018 Welcome to a current series on my channel where we try to return Birmingham City to the Premier League, after 4 managers in just over 12 months stability is key. In Episode 8 we take on Norwich City at […]
Letou Decide: Swansea City vs. Manchester United Match Review
If you don’t follow the live coverage of games @TheHigherTempo, get on them. It’s a lot of fun to see the goals go in, the cards dished out and the substitutions in real time. Last night we welcomed José Mourinho’s Manchester United superstars to the Liberty Stadium. There’s been a lot written about the Busby […]
Vive la Révolution Part X: C’est votre tactique, mon ami
Catch up on the story so far… “I wouldn’t say we’ve changed what we are doing too much. Just a little tactical tweak to our system and some good recruitment and yeah, we are happy with where are at right now. It’s up to us to keep going. Of course, the teams trying to catch […]
Letou Decide: Swansea City vs. Manchester United Preview
According to SportPesa, we’re only ‘slight’ underdogs to beat Manchester United, I can’t help but feel that’s generous. I wouldn’t put more than a quid on us even at 11-5. For reference, Mourinho’s United are Evens. We go into this game at the Liberty in sixteenth place, but a win or a draw takes us […]
Tempo10 – Youth Intake Day
Join Mike and Samo this week as they touch upon many FM fans favourite time of the year, Youth Intake Day. Is it a golden generation or a bunch of flops? And does that really matter or can a player still make the first team? The discussion then moves to what we can do as […]
Canary Corner – Part 10
Here we go again. A new season, the fourth season on CM01/02, another clean slate for this set of players I have come to hate – at least those who remain. In the previous update, half of the ungrateful buggers jumped ship at the first possible opportunity. The important ones, the CM legends, all stayed. […]
Vive la Révolution Part IX: L’échec ?
Catch up on the story so far… “Do you know how crazy it sounds, to be sitting here talking to you feeling disappointed that we finished 4th? 4th! Every single club in the division pays their players. Every single club in the level below pays their plays. We don’t. We are still amateur and we […]
Letou Decide: Mlog 6th February
After the Arsenal game I was asked to react to my first defeat as Swansea City manager by the press. My response was that I want to move onto our next game. The next game is, of course, Manchester United at the Liberty. I was impressed by Arsène Wenger’s response to a question about my […]
Scars And Stripes Episode 12: Continental Challenge & Evolving Our Squad
Remember when I wondered if my side could cope with the addition of the North American Champions League games to our schedule? Well it turns out the competition is far, far less competitive than I imagined. It’s pretty much just us, the other MLS sides we’ve dominated in the past two years and then Mexico’s […]
Bringing Back Brum Episode 7
FM18 Birmingham City | Bringing Back Brum | Ep 7 Wolves At The Door | Football Manager 2018 Welcome the current series to my channel where we try to return Birmingham City to the Premier League, after 4 managers in just over 12 months stability is key. In Episode 7 we take on Wolves at […]
Letou Decide: Swansea City vs. Arsenal Match Review
I didn’t expect our game against Arsenal to go well and sadly, I was right. Let’s all be honest, games against Arsenal and Liverpool aren’t going to define our season, it’s the ones against Newcastle United and Burnley which count. What happened was that we at least restricted our goal difference to a minus of […]
Inept International Manager: Ep.3
Click here to find previous episodes of the Inept International Manager Several days later, we return to the Australian FFA offices to find CEO David Gallop looking rather perturbed stood in the reception lobby. There are only two other people present, one is the elderly receptionist looking over her glasses and typing with her two […]
The IC…Geracao de Ouro #8: Whose kids are these?
Before anyone jumps to, “where’s the first seven parts of this foreign nonsense?”; 1. it’s a continuation of The ICT Crowd world/story and 2. you’re an idiot for not figuring that out by the title. Also, thanks should be given to FM_Samo for actually putting thought into the title of this series. I sure as […]
Chronicles of a Chancer Part I: The Spanish Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition Barcelona B ‘How does it feel to be appointed the new boss of Barcelona’s B Team?’ *Snap* *Click* A bored photographer floats around the room. ‘It feels great, I’m over the moon–’ *Click* *Snap* ‘–It’s your first job as manager, are you ready?’ a slim bald man interrupted. ‘I think so, I […]
Letou Decide: Swansea City vs. Arsenal Preview
There’s plenty of good news at present while the deadline day vote closes, Tammy Abraham is named Young Player of the Month for January with two goals in four appearances. Tammy is described as an enthusiastic striker in the report, which is fairly accurate and he hasn’t complained once since being shunted over to the […]
Vive la Révolution Part VIII: Les garçons vous payer vos joueurs des millions, vous ne pouvez pas battre amateurs
Catch up on the story so far… “‘Do you realise we’ve played 15 games? That’s nearly half the season gone already!’ shouted Johan Micoud down the phone. Yes, of course I was aware. 15 games gone, 28 points gained. 12 more needed to make sure we stay up, though that could be considered quite a […]
Scars And Stripes Episode 11: Third Season & Champions League Football
It was another successful season for my Atlanta United side last year, as we won the US Cup and clinched the Supporter’s Shield, but we fell short in the MLS final after losing to Sporting Kansas City. I retained the support of the board but this season is crucial. It’s the last year of my […]
Letou Decide: Schrödinger’s Deadline Day
Yesterday I said I was going to talk about transfer deadline day. An important part of what I and the staff here are doing, in partnership with Letou and the Higher Tempo Press, is to put the focus on you as fans, as football people, as game players. It’s the reason I ask for your […]
Irons in the Fire: Episode Three
It’s been a while on this one, hasn’t it? Well, here we are again. I left it with the January window opening and an FA Cup tie with Sheffield United around the corner. A potential banana skin at Bramall Lane was easily negotiated thanks to a 20th minute Andy Carroll strike. Before we could get […]
Bringing Back Brum Episode 6
FM18 Birmingham City | Bringing Back Brum | Ep 6 Second City Derby | Football Manager 2018 Welcome to the current series to my channel where we try to return Birmingham City to the Premier League, after 4 managers in just over 12 months stability is key. In Episode 6 we take on Aston Villa […]
Letou Decide: Newcastle United vs. Swansea City Match Review
I’m going to be honest with you, I think some people even in my own football club are becoming suspicious of my initial success with Swansea. The truth is, we’ve been incredibly lucky both with the way the games have been played out and the fixtures themselves. If you look at five fixtures as a […]
Vive la Révolution Part VII: Les amateurs de l’article la terre
Catch up on the story so far… “People told me it would be impossible to take a team of amateurs out of the 5th Division. The same people and more told me we would finish bottom of the 4th Division. Guess what those people are saying now, after we won the 4th Division? Of course, […]