My Football Manager 2010 resolutions
Every new year it is tradition to set yourself a number of resolutions not to keep to past February, they usually include signing up for the gym, dieting and giving Levo more money donating into his account every payday. Our calendar begins at the stroke of midnight October 30th when the latest Football Manager title is released and just like any New Year it is time to set some resolutions.
Adopt a Minnow
Lower League Management has always been a way of playing that had appealed to me, but each time I have tried it I have lacked the commitment or the will power to keep going through the poor string of results that I often find myself under, struggling to sign any quality players and having no money at all to actually get myself out of a rout at such a level. So this year I have decided to adopt a much needy minnow club, I haven’t decided what team it will be or even what country but once I do I am going to become an avid supporter of that team, whoever it is to I will feel the pain when they lose and the delight when they win, hoping that will motivate to take such a club through the turmoils of lower leagues. I think an interesting way to grab an insight of football in other leagues across the world than the Premier League, maybe I might wear the shirt down the pub and show some real loyalties.
Why don’t you give it a try, randomly pick a country by what means that is up to you. Look in the lower leagues of that country and the pick a small team in that league that isn’t even expected to last. That can be your team, all you need now is the ability to lose and enjoy it.
Starting the proper way?
I am all for the Lower League Management this season, but this is another way that I am going to try and play the game this season to offer something new. Starting unemployed at the start of the game with a Sunday League reputation, applying for jobs as they come about and not knowing where I am going to land. It is something that a few of the guys from FM-View will be trying, so why not try it yourself and I would be interested to know how you get on, comparing each others success and failures. So visit the forums for moral support, and help in trying to achieve your dreams, I think with a few of us doing it, the sense of a little competition might be what is needed to spur us on to the next game season.
This is for those who are looking for challenge, playing by LLM rules which can be found down at FM-Britain who have a close knit and thriving LLM community themselves. Pick and choose those rules, I will essentially be picking them up by the letter, using my scouts to full affect within the game. But feel free to play the way you want these are just guidelines for the FM View games. This years game should be made a little more straight forward to play this way as you will have the benefit of good feedback from your coaches, although do remember the standard of coaches at your club will affect the feedback you get. But also the new tactical creator should allow you to develop those tactics that could carry you far in the Lower League realm.
Proving my tactical credentials
I have been playing Football Manager long enough to surely be able to produce my own tactics? I have read constant guides and tactics analysis surrounding Football Manager games. I know what a sweeper keeper is and what sort of formations it may help to deploy a full back or wing backs to greater affect. But still in 2009 I was using the tactics laid down by the TT&TF templates and tweaking them here and there till they started producing results, often moving the sliders and not really fully understanding what I was doing. But with the new tactical creator there is little excuse, I know longer have to learn what happens when this slider is 5 and the other slider is 14. No I can set the players how I would do if they were a real life team, telling each player what their role is within the squad and bam a tactic is born. Maybe I can even pass on some of my tactical learning onto yourselves, all I need to prove is that I know something about footballing tactics in the real world.
Achievements
The only reason that this year I will be installing STEAM into my computer is to pick up the achievements that have been laid down for the new game in the system. I am sure in an attempt to gain each and every achievement (which I am sure won’t be possible) I will encounter adventures and different challenges through the game, keeping me glued away from my girlfriend for hours on end. I can’t wait to find out what I need to do to become The Professor, or will I have be proclaimed an England legend? Plenty of game playing hours lie ahead of me till I find out.
A New Year, a new challenge, this is the most hotly anticipated Football Manager game in it’s history. I am as much excited as anyone after playing the demo it is looking as if it maybe living up to the hype. But with this years release I will have a whole year to commit to it, not like I did last year when a University dissertation amongst other things stopped me from really getting into the game, New Years day could be a day of celebration or looking at the way I will be playing this years game it could all end in tears.
Do you guys have any plans for the new game, a new way of playing or a challenge you are going to set yourself? Please comments below or visit our forums and discuss it here.
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FHM.com have recently written about their 
Good read and a few I’ll also be trying.
The unemployment route is something I’ll try, no promises I’ll last more than a couple of seasons mind you. Adopt a minnow sounds good, I sort of did it with Gateshead after I went them on FM09 I became sort of attached to them.
The achievements should be good also, combined with our very own managerscore they’ll be plenty to work towards
Has it been confirmed what the Steam achievements are yet? I know a list was released but that only gave titles not descriptions.
I haven’t seen anything that actually describes what the achievements are, they will probably come around the time the game is released I would have thought.
I wonder if you would get more joy from aiming towards achievements or have the surprise of an achievement popping up?
The latter for me. Much better to grab a late comeback winner and find that it’s got you an achievement as well than know you’re going to get it.
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