Football Manager 2017 - General Chat

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, Stan said:

what do you mean false alarm?

Its something I've never gotten in FM. I got a job status update and they asked me to attend a meeting. I had the option to refuse but it didn't say anything about getting sacked if you did. I was taking no risks.

Then they asked me to improve but didn't set a points target and the next day my job status was stable again.

[Guest]

So I ask for a higher transfer budget, they agree and end up lowering my budget. Troll on FM, troll on 

[Stan]

all you pros out there - how do you get your team motivated against teams lower in the table that, on paper, you should be beating? I've got a knack for playing well against top 6/7 sides but also for getting complacent and just generally shite against relegation-threatened sides? how do you all combat this issue?

[Stan]

see, I don't do many press interviews because I find it takes too much time. does it really affect players performances that much?

by default, I don't get involved with those war of the words or arguments.

What do you do for team-talks for various matches?

[Stan]

7 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

I always do press conferences, it makes the game longer to play but I find it gives me a greater control of the game ahead. I don't want my assistant manager to give away how we will play or put an unwanted pressure on the game. I say what I want, when I want and then the control is always in my hands. 

As for team-talks I always try to keep things calm. Assertive/passionate gets too repetitive after a while and the players stop responding to it. You need to vary your team-talks or they won't have any effect. I also try to be aggressive as little as I can so that when I do have to give the players a bollocking it works, if you don't shout at them for a good 10 games and then find yourself 2-0 down at half-time a bollocking will make the players respond like you've never seen before.

this is probably the main thing for me. I use passionate or aggressive too much probably. 

[RandoEFC+]

I've found on this game more than any previous version that different players respond to different team talks and tone in different ways. Have managed one side who always responded well to being told they're expected to win and not to be complacent but my next team would just say "listened keenly" then go out and play nervously against sides we should be battering if we didn't get an early goal. 

[Bluebird Hewitt]

Fuck fuck fuck.

My phone had a screen issue and took it in to get fixed a week ago. Unfortunately it had to have a reset and, though I'm sure I transferred the save to my SD card, I can't find my Cardiff file for FM2017 mobile so think it didn't transfer. Bollocks.

I do have the main game for the PC so might crack that open instead.

 

[Dave]

On 15/05/2017 at 9:26 AM, Bluebird Hewitt said:

Fuck fuck fuck.

My phone had a screen issue and took it in to get fixed a week ago. Unfortunately it had to have a reset and, though I'm sure I transferred the save to my SD card, I can't find my Cardiff file for FM2017 mobile so think it didn't transfer. Bollocks.

I do have the main game for the PC so might crack that open instead.

 

Do it. Completely different experience.

[Bluebird Hewitt]

5 hours ago, Aaroncpfc said:

Do it. Completely different experience.

Guaranteed sackings all the time. 

Btw, did anyone use that manager generator on FM17, especially the photo generator?

[Danny]

I've started a file with Southampton and will update shortly...weirdly they got relegated on my Barnsley file.

[Bluebird Hewitt]

Well I've installed the game on my Mac and decided to enrol for a degree in statistical and data analysis because there is an absolute fuck ton of things to go through in this version (even I myself have stats this time round just based on whether I prefer a tracksuit or proper suit ).

[Bluebird Hewitt]

54 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Congratulations to Bluebird for evolving from a boy into a man. 

Fuck you. 

[tarzanontoast]

After reading about the Leicester - OH Leuven link, it reminded me… I always like to take on as many feeder clubs as possible when playing FM. Doesn’t matter what team I am – the more the merrier, I say. I can’t help but build over-inflated squads (I prefer buying potential and developing them, rather than blowing £20, £30, £40 million on a proven player, plus I tend to be smaller teams and turn them into giants, so finances are usually tight anyway).

My question to you all is… have you ever built a squad so ridiculously rich of talent that you’ve manipulated your random feeder clubs to become successful too, since you’ve loaned them all your best youngsters? 

I remember being Crewe and sending my fringe youngsters to Nantwich, and them gaining a promotion or two out of it!

[Dan+]

Iran.

Their league has some steady players and you can pick them up for literally £200k. Some of their players have ridiculously low release clauses.

Would imagine they would come in more handy in somewhere like Holland though.

[Dan+]

I only have Frickley as an affiliate at Barnsley, and they're a tiny club, any player who is going to be of any use to me isn't going to go there.

Would be a right good slap in the face to a local side if I went and got someone like Doncaster as a feeder club

I've tried getting foreign ones but it's no use. The drawback of saying you want to develop your own players.

[Dan+]

13 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Some of the Arabic countries are really underrated actually like you say, I remember signing a regen during my time with Inter that would have surely gone on to be a world beater and he only cost around £200,000. He was a full international and banging goals in for my ''B'' team at just 17 years of age.

You do get the odd gem in the most random of places. Like at Barnsley I've signed a bloke from TPS in Finland for £200 (no typo, two hundred pounds) and he's just spent the season as a 19 year old in Derby's side on loan. It can be done.

[Dan+]

9 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Leeds United are affiliated with Guiseley but I've not sent anyone on loan there. 

To tell you the truth I'm slowly changing the way I operate on Football Manager in regards to loan deals. I used to stock-pile players to other clubs to give them first team football but nowadays I'm using them more and more in my ''B'' team and promoting them to the first team when the time is right. I only ever really use loan deals as a shop window now so an affiliate isn't something I'm fussed about.

Said it in another thread to Storts but I find one of the most effective ways of developing players is to move them to the first team squad and then have them as available for U23 games. That way they aren't getting fatigued by playing 50 games a season due to having to play for both reserve sides and they're training with the first team. Only do it with my most promising players though.

[Dan+]

On 5/17/2017 at 9:41 AM, Danny said:

I've started a file with Southampton and will update shortly...weirdly they got relegated on my Barnsley file.

I got offered an interview for them last season. Hardest one to turn down yet. They're the dream side to manage in a lot of ways.

[Spike]

Chelsea and Vitesse are practically one and the same.

[Danny]

Come on you lot who are actually decent at this game, let us know your secrets. Share formations, styles of play, types of players, how you analyse a game and decide how to prepare for it.

[RandoEFC+]

Agree with what Cannabis has said. Take the time to do some of the boring stuff, make sure you have the full complement of staff that the board recommends (generally) and a balanced tactic.

I've not even got a reliable 'go-to' tactic on FM 2017, I currently play 4-2-3-1 with two defensive midfielders and three attacking midfielders, which looks like a nightmare on the tactics screen but works really well. I only use this formation though because I had good defensive midfielders and no decent central midfielders when I joined the club. I nearly always give players the roles and duties that they are most comfortable with without bothering too much about it fitting a certain style. E.G. I'm happy to have a sole striker playing as a Defensive Forward if that's what suits him best. This is just what I have found works tactically.

Manage your team talks carefully. In my experience, I've not managed many sides that respond well to increased pressure so I'll tend to be calm and encouraging pre-match rather than telling them I expect a win. For individual team talks, I will often say (Calm) I have faith in you before the match as the majority of players will respond well to this. Half time team talks can be massive too, don't be afraid to go (Aggressive) "You've not been good enough" if they haven't been good enough, most players will be fired up by this if it is justified. Likewise, if you have a 1 or 2 goal lead, "Don't get complacent" tends to get most players to focus, but can also stress some players out. Try it out and make note of how your players react to this.

Be careful with team meetings, it can be tempting to call a team meeting when morale is low, but if you go in there and complain about poor form when the recent run is WDWLL, the players will sometimes feel you're being harsh on them and react poorly. Just be very careful to make sure your opening comment is in line with the club's actual recent performances.

While I've said you should get stuck into the boring stuff, I personally let my assistant take pre-season friendlies and run general and individual training. Your coaches tend to do a decent job at this. I'd say you can trust your backroom staff the majority of the time, the main exceptions being with "this is our strongest formation" because I think you should choose that yourself, set piece takers because they do it purely based on stats, and sometimes when they suggest changing squad status and stuff.

Morale is everything, you should spend plenty of time nurturing positive morale because as soon as your players start "Playing without Confidence" (I strongly recommend having the Body Language tab open on the match screen if you don't already), that's when you start getting battered 4-0 or 5-0. I will always make sure that at least the last few friendlies in each season are against shit opposition because hammering these opponents will see you start the season with strong morale. Losing friendlies before the season starts can damage morale before you're even underway. Team talks and team meetings, which I've discussed, are two of your best tools for boosting morale, praising good form (and even criticising poor form sometimes) will improve a player's morale if it's justified, being positive in press conferences, offering new contracts, setting up tutoring and generally interacting with your players will boost their morale. Make sure you manage sensitive situations carefully as if you offend a player and he's a bit of a cunt, he can rally the squad around him and shatter your squad's morale - this one I know from experience! The morale of players is also affected by the morale of their team-mates. If you can cheer up 3-4 players, this can have a positive knock on effect for some other players.

That's about all I can think of for the moment, I wouldn't call myself an expert but I tend to do pretty well at this game, so ask away if you have anything more specific. I can't promise I'll give you good advice but I'll tell you what has and hasn't worked for me as someone who spends far too much time playing it .

[Stan]

a lot of what @adziom said I can relate to as well. Morale is huge and the way you approach your team talks, team meetings, matches can be massive. 

I also like to use the calm, encouraging approach until more stern and strict approach is required. if a player deserves a telling off for poor form or a poor match, they'll get it. Usually if they get a rating of 6.0 or below (when everyone else around them has got 6.5 or 6.6+), they can expect a warning.

If I'm leading narrowly at half-time, I usually go for the 'don't get complacent' team talk or a variation on that. 

Straight reds get a 2 week fine. A double booking sending off gets a warning if it's their first time; more than once and they get a week's fine. 

My go-to tactic is this a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Attacking left full-back with a trait of 'Get Forward Whenever Possible'. 2 defending centre-backs. Right back is automatic.

a Central Midfielder (defend) and Deep Lying Playmaker (support). 

Attacking midfielder (support), Shadow Striker (attack), Advanced Playmaker (support).

And the striker can either be Advanced Forward or Complete Forward.

This team's chance creation is high and the attacking left full-back is instructed to stay wide and get crosses in so they help with the attacks. They also aggressively apply pressure in the midfield so in a defensive respect they usually win the ball back quickly. 

Aside from the tactics, I like my players to have good team work ratings and good determination ratings. I want my players to be up for every game and not just some games. I need them not to be selfish either and work collectively to achieve the team's goals. I'm also keen on getting at least 2 players for each position and believe strongly in squad rotation. 

Also a big believer in finding youngsters and letting them flourish naturally in my team. By naturally, I mean not being too harsh on them if they have a bad game but praising them when they do well. During the summer transfer window mainly, I'll scout around for ages and heavily use the age filter for 15/16/17 year olds. The scouts I use always have to have high 'Judging...' ratings, too, otherwise it's pointless sending them on missions or assignments. 

With staff, I'll always try and get the best in the division (so all the bars are green when you click on the 'staff' button on the left panel).

Training I'll usually leave to a capable assistant to organise and feed off him with reports and advice I get from him regularly. 

[RandoEFC+]

7 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Pre-season friendlies are also overlooked when the topic of morale comes up. After I’ve been through the summer I always like to play against someone that I know I will beat in order to boost morale if it’s not ‘Superb’. For example if I was managing Barcelona, I’d arrange one against Wrexham so that we could thump them 8-0 and celebrate – the same goes for tournaments because regardless of the opposition you can praise the lads for winning a competition and morale usually shoots up.

 

Yaaaaas, love that I'm not the only one who does this

[Stan]

I thought that was a common-thing . I play loads of tiny, smaller teams to get the morale up as well as the fitness. I always try and squeeze in 6 friendlies. The first 2-3 are against easier teams which I know I'll thrash. Then they'll get slightly tougher with a glamour friendly at home.

It also maximises tactical familiarity ready for the new season, too. 

[Guest]

I just found the greatest name for a Bolivian player