The Higher Tempo Press
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Letou Decide: Vote for the manager and win signed Swansea City merchandise!
Welcome back folks. Following yesterday’s slightly anti-climatic reveal – I mean, no videos, no big teasing buildup and certainly dramatic music – we are on to the bit of this project that really counts. Getting you involved, or as it says on the tin, the bit where we Letou Decide. That’s right – we are putting […]
Tempo10 Ep10: Building a squad that leads and lasts
Mike and Matt are joined by Jack to discuss the finer points of squad management. Jack talks about his theories on building a sustainable club and how to hush a disruptive Danny Rose.
FM18 League Guide – Major League Soccer II: Roster Composition
Now that we’ve covered the actual league structure, it’s time to move on to roster composition. What do you need to know when assembling your team for an upcoming Major League Soccer campaign? In this post, I will detail out what the roster rules are and describe different player categories on the roster. A Major […]
CM01/02: Canary Corner – Part 1
2001 was an odd time in English football, certainly outside of the Premier League. ITV Digital was supposed to breathe new life into the Football League clubs, but ultimately it would collapse towards the end of the 2001/02 season, causing financial mayhem in the process. The First Division is as competitive as ever, with Manchester […]
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum: Part One
With the beta coming out a matter of days after Ronald Koeman was shown the door by Everton, it was an obvious choice to show him how it’s done. The Toffees spent big over the summer, but a run of tough fixtures and dire performances saw the Dutchman sacked before the clocks had changed. It’s […]
Letou Decide: The introduction
I tell you what, it is becoming more and more difficult to come up with anything original in the FM space as the years go by. Hats off to everyone else, there are some fantastic ideas all over the place meaning that here at Tempo Towers we spend almost minutes coming up with new plans […]
Chalk and Cheese: The Rivals 1.1
In episode 1.0 I ran through the premise of the save and introduced the managers, now it’s time to explore their philosophies a bit deeper, and to sort out the transfers for the forthcoming season, starting with Raul Garrido who’ll be taking control of Birmingham City. Raul is highly possession orientated and is blessed with […]
FM18 League Guide – Major League Soccer I: League Structure
I’m back, ladies and gents! It’s been some time since I’ve been around, but the new season and the new game means it’s time to start cranking out new content! This American had a great time living in Australia over the summer, but I’ve been thinking it’s about time to get back home to the […]
Far Post Corner Kick Routine Exploit
Far Post delivery = goal! Football Manager 2018 Beta version was released two weeks before full version and we are able to test new things in our beloved game. One of my main points what always test firstly are set pieces. As there are not many changes in set piece creator (read as almost nothing […]
On the Skive Part VI: Jan Molby and that goal…
“Look, you are tainted goods after Brescia. If the bottom teams in Italy won’t touch you then you’re going to have to go somewhere else. I can get you into Greece or Denmark, you choose”. My FM18 agent And he was right. Italy didn’t want to know. I had four interviews after Brescia, all of […]
FM18 League Guide: Scotland
Awrite As one of few Scots to have learned how to write in English, I’ve been tasked with providing you, our fine reader, with some form of guide about the Scottish leagues available to you on Football Manager 2018. “Scotland? That’s boring. It’s just Celtic and Rangers.” Au contraire my amigo, that’s the fun of […]
Rivalità Tra Fratelli, Episode 31: An Open Letter
This is the story of two brothers, a modern-day Cain versus Abel if you will, based now in the Allianz Stadium. 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 B), Spain (La […]
Binned by Brescia: 5 things I have learned by being sacked
I know I am in good company. Loads of us have been sacked in FM18 BETA, and that makes me feel better about myself. Everyone and their gran getting sacked left right and centre! ??? — Andy (@WeegieFM) November 3, 2017 That moment when you plug something on the pod and the next day? ?? […]
I Ragazzi della Biancoazzurri Parte V: Well that went well…
Ciao. “Sacked in the morning, you’re getting sacked in the morning” went the chant in my head as Foggia scored their 5th without reply. This was the virtual morning of course, not my actual morning as there was no way I’d be holding on to my job until then. I knew it was over, my […]
FM18 Formation Guide: 4-1-2-3
A New Year So, FM18 is upon us. Plenty of new features, updated squads and another year of managerial challenges. Before any new player gets their teeth stuck into a save though, they have to make a few early decisions. Who to manage, who to sign, and what formation to use. This weekly guide will […]
CM0102: Walking in a Windsor Wonderland – WCQ 2006 Part 2
We continue our journey with Northern Ireland today in the second half of the 2006 World Cup Qualifying campaign. Henry Muldrew has excellently reviewed the real-life exploits of this campaign over on That Football Daily. We currently sit second in our group with 6 points from the opening 4 fixtures. If you haven’t already then […]
Oliver Burke: What Could Have Been?
If you haven’t read my previous Ode to Oliver Burke, or followed along with my save on my own site, then I’d thoroughly recommend you check them (clang) out as context to reading today’s piece. I’ll pick up where I left off last time.
I Ragazzi Della Biancoazzurri Parte IV: Deep breath, here we go
Ciao. Preseason feels like it has lasted an age. Well, I s’pose it has lasted a whole week in the real world. I’d go as far as saying it has been my least enjoyable week in FM land. Not because I have anything against FM18 in any big way at all, hell I’ve barely even […]
How to use the new #FM18 analysis tools
The role played by analysis in football today is seemingly ever expanding as teams drill down in to the available data in an attempt to gain a competitive edge on the opposition. Alongside this more data driven approach we have seen data analysts and technical recruitment departments at clubs get more exposure in the media […]
Tempo10 Ep9: How do you solve a problem like a new save?
Mike and Matt return having ditched Chris for the week to talk about their ‘To-Do Lists’ when starting a new save game. The team take inspiration from Keysi Rensie’s article on things to do before you play a match on FM18. Quirks, superstitions and routines abound as the two talk FM18 Essentials.
FM18 League Guide: Czech Republic
“Dobrý den, vítejte v České republice…” After a perfect Colombia league guide by Mike aka AccordingToFM, I decided to write about the Czech 1st division. In the game it’s called “Synot liga” but before the 2017/2018 season, it was changed to “HET liga” as there is a new major sponsor of the first division. Structure The […]
I Ragazzi Della Biancoazzurri Parte III: I’m in the zone, and that’s not a good thing
Ciao. So how many of us are playing FM18 BETA and fearing the sack then, eh? I certainly am. I am massively regretting laying down an initial plan for my first save, announcing it to all ten of you that read this rubbish and diving straight in. I’m in that zone you see. That dreaded […]
CM0102: Walking in a Windsor Wonderland – WCQ 2006 Part 1
It was a less than stellar European Championship Qualifying campaign for us last time out but it did end on a more positive note than it began! Read about the conclusion of our European Championship 2004 Qualifying campaign here. On to World Cup 2006, hosted by Germany. We’ve been drawn alongside France and Bulgaria again, […]
FM18 League Guide – Colombia
Bienvenido If you are tired of the same leagues and teams of a European season then you should really try a save in South America. There a wide range of leagues to choose from, Argentina and Brazil being the most popular but what do the other countries have to offer? The following is a guide […]
Chalk and Cheese: The Rivals 1.0
If you happened to read my FM17 blog (Taste The Feeling, click my name above and navigate back to the first page to have a read if you haven’t already!), you’ll know I was one of the first people to incorporate multiple teams into a save. These teams were working together in unison to enhance […]
FM Graphics: Hungary Custom kit pack
It’s been a couple of weeks since I released the custom kitpack for Czech first division. During last weeks I worked on other kits. Mainly for my own save in Football Manager 2018 as I would like to play my main game in Hungary. And during the time between FM17 & FM18, I decided to […]
Rivalità Tra Fratelli, Episode 30: March ‘20
This is the story of two brothers, a modern-day Cain versus Abel if you will, based now in the Allianz Stadium. 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 B), Spain (La […]
I Ragazzi della Biancoazzurri Parte II: Things that I will do, things I won’t and a general state of confusion
Ciao. So I’m about eight playing hours into FM18 and I am slowly, but surely, getting my feet under the table at la rondinelle. Whether I’ll be at the table long enough to get as far as dessert is another matter. The early days of a new version are probably very similar for most people. What do […]
Young and Old: Part 4
Back in Action Thus far, things have been plodding along nicely for this Napoli side. Despite not being in the desired top 4 spot, we’re not a million miles away. The first game of Part 4 was at home to Verona, and I chose the players for this game based purely on coach recommendations for […]
CM0102: Walking in a Windsor Wonderland – ECQ 2004 Part 2
We come into this fixture on the back of a 4-0 home defeat to France – if you haven’t already, you can catch up here. Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland We head into the return fixtures in this campaign and it’s yet another tactical change. A hint toward something more conservative and defensive. Ireland […]
FM18 Choosing the Challenge: Which way do we go?
Another year is almost upon us and, whilst many will be thinking ahead to the festive season or the New Year, thousands around the globe care about only one thing- Football Manager 2018. The wait is almost over and I, like many others, am preparing for my journey. However, I don’t know what path to […]
I Ragazzi della Biancoazzurri Parte I: Industry and Caviar
So, writing about Football Manager. It’s been so long since I did it, I might have forgotten how! That gap between the last bit of writing on FM17 and FM18 dropping has felt like an eternal chasm this year. I ended up pootling around in Luxembourg and, let’s be honest, nobody wants to read about […]
11 Types of Save to Try Throughout FM18
With the full release of FM18 a little over two weeks away, or six months ago depending on when you get round to reading this, I am sure most will already know what their first, second or even third saves will be. For those undecided few, or for anyone a little bored of the same […]
CM0102: Walking in a Windsor Wonderland – ECQ 2004 Part 1
So, after a less than stellar start to my Northern Ireland career, we now prepare for the first full campaign under my control. It is at this point that virtual life truly splits from reality as our fixtures now follow a different path from the historical. Euro 2004 preparations see us paired against our nearest […]
Tempo10 Ep8: Did you even realise we’ve been away?
Chris, Matt and Mike return from their summer holidays together to mindlessly fill over ten minutes of your day talking about FM17, CM01/02 and, of course, a little bit of FM18. Chris realises his co-hosts are shocking at the game. Enjoy, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @thehighertempo
Segundo Volante: A New Role for FM18
SEGUNDO VOLANTE New Season, New Role So, here we are. The Football Manager 2018 Beta was announced on Friday 27th October and included in the new game are several new player roles. We all love a player role, don’t we? Whether it’s your inside forward, false nine or inverted wing-back, we all have our own […]
Rivalità Tra Fratelli, Episode 29: February ‘20
This is the story of two brothers, a modern-day Cain versus Abel if you will, based now in the Allianz Stadium. 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 B), Spain (La […]
Porto Manager steps down after disappointing end to the season
The 2024/25 season ended in disappointment for Porto and their fans as they once again failed to qualify for the Champions League. It also appears that they will be seeking a new manager as they head into the summer as the current boss has chosen to step aside. Despite confidence in his ability being low, […]
Tempo Tactics: El Pibe
“a pibe with a dirty face, a mane of hair rebelling against the comb; with intelligent, roving, trickster and persuasive eyes and a sparkling gaze that seem to hint at a picaresque laugh that does not quite manage to form on his mouth, full of small teeth that might be worn down through eating ‘yesterday’s […]
CM0102: Walking in a Windsor Wonderland – WCQ 2002
Championship Manager 01/02 has often been lauded as one of the best editions of the FM/CM series. With the ability to download and play the game (free and legally), I have decided to set myself a challenge that is a little different from anything I have done before. It is 14th July 2001 and Northern […]
The Young and the Old: Part 3
Back on Track After some disappointing performances last time out, particularly against Chievo, it was important to get off to a flyer this week.The first game of Part 3 in this Young and Old series was away at Carpi. I decided to switch things up slightly with a 4-2-3-1 formation, spearheaded by The first game […]
Southampton’s Black Box: Part 11 (Closing)
Welcome to the eleventh and final part of the Southampton Black Box save. Recent commitments have severely reduced my time available to commit to this save, and I don’t want to put out any content that isn’t something I’m proud of publishing. That being said, I want to take this opportunity to wrap-up the series […]
11 Players who need an upgrade in FM18
Football Manager 18 is being hotly anticipated by management fans everywhere, but the attributes given to top players by the professional scouts used by the game will also be under scrutiny. Whether they’ve had their first breakout season or have been criminally under-rated by the game, here’s a list of 11 players who desperately need […]
Taste The Feeling: Episode 22 – Conclusion Part 3
How does this affect results? Obviously operating such a conveyor belt system of players (explored in parts 1 + 2 if you haven’t caught up!) isn’t ideal in terms of stability but I was hoping that the player quality (that itself would be boosted by the increased finances we’d likely see each season) would see […]
AS MoneyCo – Episode Eight
It’s transfer time. First things first, Radamel Falcao is listed with a desired fee of around £20 million. Then Danijel Subasic is offered about again as Predrag Rajkovic has taken his spot, and Kamil Glik attracts interest from almost all of the European elite. In the real world, you’d have been able to get great […]
The Wandering Eagle Part 7: April ’17
Thirty days and seven matches, that’s how long we’ll have to wait until we know for sure in which division we will be playing. We have been doing well as of late and I’m confident our seven point gap with the relegation zone is enough to see us prevail. But complacency has no place in […]
11 Teams Who Will Struggle In Football Manager 2018
Did you see the frost this morning? A little condensation on your window? Mist across the motorway on the drive into work? The clocks go back all too soon. X Factor has started and suddenly we’re into single figures for weeks until Christmas. Before you know it November 10th will be upon us and Football […]
Taste The Feeling – Episode 22 – Conclusion Part 2
Finances Implementing such a model (shown in part 1) saw a huge upturn in finances for a majority of the clubs involved. Antwerp Coca-Cola Antwerp are now the richest club in the Belgian league by far, with a bank balance of just over £200m in May 2029 with a weekly wage budget of over £1.6m – of […]
Rivalità Tra Fratelli, Episode 28: January ‘20
This is the story of two brothers, a modern-day Cain versus Abel if you will, based now in the Allianz Stadium. 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 B), Spain (La […]
Porto managers’ position under threat after cup exits
Bookmakers are shortening the odds on Porto replacing their manager before the end of what looks to be another trophyless season. The boss, who is coming to the end of his second full season in charge, looked a dejected man as he clapped the fans who supported the team following their latest defeat away to […]