Inspiration for who to be
Bored of Football Manager? Unsure where to start your next game? Don’t know which team to be on this new version?
Here is my rough guide for ideas of games to start on Football Manager 2010.
Every edition of Football Manager for me spawns a game that extends the whole run. Right back from CM01/02 when I was Cardiff through to last year with Bognor Regis and AFC Hornchurch. So when Football Manager 2010 was released I really didn’t know what to do. I wanted to re-create the memories of old but I also wanted to set a new story. I wanted to break into new ground and enter the unknown. I wanted a tale for 2010. Football Manager 2007 had been about the international scene for me. I was influenced by the 2006 World Cup and had a game where I was all the home nations and experienced a load of success including getting Northern Ireland to the World Cup 2010, I got Ireland to the semi finals of the 2008 European Championships whilst I won both the 2008 European Championships and 2010 World Cup with England. Football Manager 2008 had been all about the foreign leagues for me. I’d managed in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Germany. Austria Vienna, FC Basel, Club Brugge and Dusseldorf all graced my management.
Then last year’s Football Manager produced my greatest ever tale. I started off as the worst placed Conference South team, Bognor Regis. I then ventured onto AFC Hornchurch upon their induction into the league before moving to Stalybridge Celtic, Northampton and finally ending my career at Chippenham.
This left the question about what sort of game to start this year. I eventually decided to opt for the ‘random club’ option. I’d never left my fate in the hands of the FM Gods so I felt I should. I loaded up the English, Scottish, Welsh, Bulgarian, Norwegian and Swedish leagues before selecting my club…
I was given the task of managing Millwall! It wasn’t quite the exotic option I was considering but it was a surprise and I would do as a promised and follow through with managing the League One side.
What other options did I consider when starting a new game though? Let me show you.
1. Against All Odds
This is perhaps my favourite type of game. You go to a league of your choosing, go to their lowest stage of league competition and select the team predicted to finish bottom. You’re at the bottom of the tree with everything working against you. No money, no players, no staff and no expectations.
2. Breaking Europe
You pick a team in Europe that is just outside the top bunch. For example, if you choose England you will manage Everton. If you choose Belgium you will choose Genk. You manage a team that is pushing towards the upper echelons of their league but are just falling short of gate crashing the title race. This can obviously be considered for other Continents as well like South America and Asia.
3. Hometown Glory
The route made iconic by Dan Gent with his Hull and Grimsby ventures. You take over your hometown club and you see how far you can go. Simple.
4. Big Time Charlie
You take over a big team in Europe be it Chelsea, Milan, Barcelona or even a club from the lesser known nations like Czech Republic, Ukraine or Denmark and see if you can have success in Europe as well as domestically.
5. Inbreds
This is a massive challenge. It works best for Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham and Newport in the English but can also work in other leagues like Switzerland with the Liechtenstein teams. You need to take over a club that plays in a league different to that of its home nation. You then must fill that team with players of their home nationality e.g. Cardiff with Welsh players only and see how much success you have.
6. Sleeping Giant
You take over a team that once had success or is in dire need of success but linger down the leagues. Good examples of this are Leeds and Huddersfield. You can find dozens of further examples abroad, especially where clubs have been relegated or deducted points due to financial irregularities.
7. International Domination
It’s all about the international management. Dull for some but really enjoyable for others. One of my favourite games was managing all the home nations. I find managing more than one international team at a time makes the breaks between games seem more worthwhile.
8. Rival Rescue
This is almost as simple as the Hometown Glory option. You just select your home town team’s arch rivals and manage them. Whether you fancy gaining success with them or running them into the ground. Both options are highly enjoyable.
9. Unemployment
You start unemployed and see where your career takes you. It’s easy!
10. Points Problem
You find a team that is ridiculously handicapped by a points deduction and you manage them. Luton and Bournemouth provided this entertainment last season.
Those are the main ten choices I choose from. I am sure there are more and I hope others reply with their ideas and methods for choosing the team they will manage. I also hope this article gives others ideas on how to choose a team.
I wish you all luck with choosing your new team and I hope you gain as much longevity out of your games as I do.
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