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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 […]
#FM17 : Top 10 Highest Paid Players in 2021
Footballers wages are one of the most talked about subjects in the game. Many people feel that average players are paid astronomical salaries, significantly more than important members of society such as nurses and soldiers. With more money being put into the game, wages are only going to increase. According to the Independent, Cristiano […]
#FM17 : [Second Half] 9- Bishop’s March
BISHOP’S MARCH a column by Tommy Doherty for Non League Paper 1 April 2016 Fans of Bishop’s Stortford must be wondering if their position in the league standings is an April Fool’s joke but they can be sure that it is not. It really has been a good March for The Blues. Just a couple of months back, […]
#FM17 : The Hope of Hapoel : Trouble with assistant managers
After tea on my first day as manager of Hapoel Ashkelon FC, would my lucky streak of uncovering high-quality staff hold? I have two first-team appointments to make: an assistant manager, to replace the evidently limited incumbent, and a coach. Between them, they will need to draw on three areas of coaching expertise – […]
#FM17 : Top Ten Most Expensive Players in 2021
Manchester United’s £90m deal to bring Paul Pogba back to the club broke the world transfer record this summer, surpassing the £85m Real Madrid paid to secure Gareth Bale’s signature. It was no surprise to see the record broken again with more and more money being pumped into the game. Premier League clubs smashed […]
#FM16 : Atalanta : The Rise of La Dea : January 2016 Part Two
We were half way through our most testing month of the season and sitting relatively pretty having picked up 7 points from a possible 9. After the weekend win at Chievo Verona, a midweek home tie in the Coppa Italia vs Ternana followed. Three days later we faced the only side yet to beat us […]
#FM17 : [Second Half] 8- Jekyll and Hide
“What in the bloody hell was that?!” The words bounced off the brick walls. “What the hell were you guys thinking in that second half? Huh?” A loud crack broke the stillness in the room as Jac’s boot struck the plastic cup, sending it across the floor. A deafening silence followed. Jac was absolutely furious that a 2-0 half-time lead had […]
#FM17 : [Second Half] Prep Week
It’s been a week since Bishop’s Stortford welcomed their new boss and within those 7 days, there has been a draw, a win, and a loss. There was nothing exceptionally good nor bad about the manager whom some circles have nicknamed ‘the strange Singaporean’. There was little information about the man that the club had […]
#FM16 : Atalanta : The Rise of La Dea : January 2016 Part One
Like a student frittering away their December days watching all three Home Alone movies in a single sitting, the spectre of January was causing me sleepless nights as we hurtled through the all-to-quick winter break. In a single month we faced four of Italy’s biggest sides; champions elect Juventus, European competition chasing Inter Milan and Fiorentina, and a […]
#FM17 : Hope of Hapoel 1.7: For the long term
My first morning at Hapoel Ashkelon FC has been so productive – contracts offered to physios, scouts, and a goalkeeping coach, that I decided to go out to lunch. There’s a little place around the corner that serves falafel with a good glass of locally produced cabernet sauvignon to wash it down. I’m not […]
#FM17 : The Boys of Bilbao 5.1 : Smithy you w*nker
“Eh? He’s chosen West Brom? They’re in the Championship aren’t they, not forgetting they are in the effing West Midlands. We have beaches and Champions League football to offer him. Idiot.” The conversation with Smithy’s agent was a little stressful. We offered more money, a better standard and a nicer striped kit but no, […]
#FM17 : Hope of Hapoel : Deliberately avoiding balance
Image generously made available under creative commons licence by Digitalnative: https://www.flickr.com/photos/classblog/ If my recruits to the physio and scouting teams sign on the dotted, I’m confident we’ll be able to bring good players into the club and keep them out of the treatment room. But who’s going to develop them? Not, if the FM database […]
#FM16 : Atalanta : The Rise of La Dea : December 2015
December saw La Dea return to cup action. Having disposed of Modena in my first game in charge, we took on Joe Hart’s Torino in the final qualifying round of the Coppa Italia nearly four months on. Following that we returned to league action; travelling to Sassuolo (12th), a hit and miss side struggling to combine the […]
#FM17 : The Boys of Bilbao : Super Setúbal!
“I should feel happier than this Phil, I really should!” Fizzer and I were in the office, the league season was finally over and we had surpassed everyone’s expectations. For little old Vitória Setúbal to finish 3rd in Liga NOS was a huge achievement, and congratulations were coming from all over the place. Yet […]
#FM17 : Football Manager 2017 : Scout Report : Harry Winks
That Harry Winks looks like he can play a bit. I mean, Tottenham cannot have too many Harry’s now, can they? Check out how he looks on FM17.
#FM17 : Hope of Hapoel 1.5 : know-nothing gaffer
It’s coffee time on my first morning in charge at Hapoel Ashkelon FC. Flushed with the success of having physios and scouts accept my job offers, I take a break and heat some Lebanese coffee (like Turkish coffee, but flavoured with cardamom) in a little coffee pot. Since coming to Israel, I’ve been trying […]
#FM17 : [Hot Seat] 1.1 : Assistance required
As I leave the chairman’s office, I fix my gaze upwards, expecting to see the hulking figure of Iain Dowie gormlessly grinning back at me. To my immense relief, the man before me is seven inches shorter, a little balder (by which I mean hairless) and altogether less frightful. A former player with York […]
#FM17 : The Boys of Bilbao 4.4 : Fizzer, we need a plan
Fizzer and I sat in the cantina coming to terms with the stark realisation that we had a very long way to go before we would break the stranglehold of the “Big Three.” We had not disgraced ourselves in the 2-0 league defeats to Sporting and Porto and we had a sneaky feeling our […]
#FM17 : Hapoel Hope 1.4 : Square scouts for square holes
It’s my first morning at Hapoel Ashkelon FC in the Israeli Premier League. I haven’t yet met the press. They can wait. I’m busy recruiting my backroom team. There’s a ‘Do not disturb’ sign on my door: I need to be able to phone around in peace. I’m allowed only two scouts (including the Chief […]
#FM17 : The Porto Promise 1.1 : @FMAnalysis
Welcome to the first ‘real’ update of the Porto Promise (credit to the site owner and general creative guru Chris Darwen for the title). For those that have not followed a written Football Manager series from me before I tend to update the game information twice a season, at the half way point and at […]
#FM17 : Taste The Feeling : Episode 9 : 17/18
Aims: According to our 5 year plan, this is the season in which promotion should be achieved, with any “dead-wood” shipped out, with the squad re-shaped into one more resembling our vision Transfers In (click for summary) Alex Grant (in): He first came to my attention when one of my scouts recommended him upon […]
#FM17 : The Hapoel Hope 1.3
I thank Eli Levi, my assistant manager at Hapoel Ashkelon FC, for his offer of a team report. He may well not be my assistant for much longer, but I might as well at least get the report out of him. It’ll provide a starting point: after all, it’s my first day at the club. And […]