Your 'jump up and punch the air whilst cheering' Football Manager moments

[Crazy Jamie]

What are your most memorable moments in Football Manager when your team has pulled off something extraordinary? I'm talking particularly with FM2007, but any will do.

I'm currently in my first season in FM2007 with Liverpool. After six games I was leading the pack with five wins and a draw, and next came Man Utd away. Things didn't get off to a good start, and United were all over me in the first half, leading 2-0 at the break with a Saha brace. And to be honest the second half didn't start well either, with my team unable to get into the game. Then a chance corner on 60 minutes was whipped in and Agger headed home an unlikely goal. All of a sudden my team started playing, and I brought Bellamy on for Crouch up front to add a bit of pace to the back line. On 86 minutes Alonso put Kuyt through and he finished into the corner to pull it back to 2-2. That would have been good enough, but on 92 minutes Kuyt broke free down the left and floated a ball to Bellamy, who finished at the near post with a placed header. I won 3-2, and celebrated as if that had actually happened in real life. Well, maybe not, but it was a great moment anyway!

[Acid Ammo]

This is FIFA06. I was playing with Newcastle away to Arsenal. They opened the score through Ljungberg (!) at the start of the match. Just before half time, I was able to come even with Podolski. The game goes on, much of it in the midfield and then, at the 82nd minute, van Persie puts them ahead again. This was disastrous, since Chelsea were closing in on the title race and this defeat would put us level on points. After yet another yellow card for my side, this time for Duff, we got the ball back and worked up a quick counter-attack, and, at the 88th, Podolski scores his second. This was a great result. Moments after Arsenal's kick-off, Dyer swiftly got the ball back and passed to Owen who fantastically left Senderos looking for the ball and shot from outside the area to score a wonderful goal at the very last minute. 3-2 and three points to us.
Our stories are quite similar, actually...

[Rahul]

I've had more moments when I've come close to punching a big hole through my monitor.

Not quite as bad as that German kid though.. :chuckle:

[Crazy Jamie]

Oh yes I've had those too.

1-0 loss at home to Manchester City?! What was that about?!

[Vamp]

I remember being 2-0 from early on, then late in the second half I conceded 3 goals, it was like:

Koumas 79
Phillips 80
Gera 81

I couldn't believe it.

As for good moments, I haven't had really great moments, I suppose when I got promoted in the play-off final with Sunderland and got to the quarter final of the FA cup.

[Crazy Jamie]

A few years ago in a previous version of the games (possibly when it was still Champ Manager) I beat Newcastle 1-0 in the FA Cup 3rd round playing as Halifax. I still don't quite know how I did that. Just blind luck. Then Blackpool destroyed me in the next round.

[Partizan]

I have a few questions about FM07

1) do you guys bother on setting individual training sessions to improve the specific aspects of a player or do you just simply let the trainers do whatever they want?

2) At what game speed do you watch the games? Do you base your judgement on your own players by actually watching them the entire match or do you just check out the stats at the end of them?

3) How do you save the individual orders you give to your players? Because when I set it and choose my system formation, I save it, however, when I open it up again the formation will be there, but the individual orders are all back to it's original setting

[Crazy Jamie]

1) do you guys bother on setting individual training sessions to improve the specific aspects of a player or do you just simply let the trainers do whatever they want?I never bother with altering the training.

2) At what game speed do you watch the games? Do you base your judgement on your own players by actually watching them the entire match or do you just check out the stats at the end of them?
I have the speed one below fastest. I base some of my judgments on the highlights, but use the stats as well.

3) How do you save the individual orders you give to your players? Because when I set it and choose my system formation, I save it, however, when I open it up again the formation will be there, but the individual orders are all back to it's original setting
I haven't given any individual orders yet, so I'm not sure.

[Acid Ammo]

To highlight a moment of frustration: Playing with my most recent Newcastle, with all top stars (including the newly signed Fabregas) against 19th placed West Bromwich at Saint James'. I score at the 23rd and lead 1-0 at half time. Just as 2nd half begins, I score again, at 50', therefore leading 2-0. At 82', WBA had made 0 goal attempts. Then Forssell scores. 2-1, still winning, so it's OK (except for my goalkeeper's morale). On the second goal attempt, at 88', Pandiani scores. 2-2 and a miserable point at home. Grr.

[Donpaulo Inc.]

Last night in my previously succesful Arsenal game I got Dicked 6-0 off Villa all goals in the first half, shortly after I tried starting a West Ham game which hasnt started to well but I'm going to persevere.

This forum may aswell be the FM forum

BTW have any of you downloaded the update patch?

[Crazy Jamie]

Not yet, though one would assume that it updates the stats at least. Any other significant improvements?

[Donpaulo Inc.]

Not yet, though one would assume that it updates the stats at least. Any other significant improvements?
Not that I've noticed its just nice to have players with stats closer to that of their seasons performance

[Northern Lights]

I downloaded the patch. It is good. A lot less stupid goals given away.

[Partizan]

ok, I've played 3 friendlies in pre season with Spurs. Results:

Ipswich 1-1 Spurs
Dunfermline 1-0 Spurs
weird english team 0-8 Spurs
Falkirk 2-1 Spurs

it seems I pretty much suck at this game. I followed Jamie's advice not to bother with training so I haven't even checked up that section. However, what's really pissing me off is the fact that in less than 2 weeks I have already lost Dawson (2 months), Berbatov (4 months) and Lee (1 month) through injury, and they join King and Malbranque. when I first started to play this game some months ago the same thing happened, but an even longer injury list. I think I could even say I averaged one injury per match. WTF am I doing wrong? Does this happen to any of you?

[Crazy Jamie]

Actually, it really does. The number of injuries in this game is just silly. The number of injuries that I've sustained in my first season is just ridiculous. I think the key is to have depth in the squad, but beyond that it is much easier in this game to get good performances out of average players giving them the right role and with the right team talk.

[Partizan]

Actually, it really does. The number of injuries in this game is just silly. The number of injuries that I've sustained in my first season is just ridiculous. I think the key is to have depth in the squad, but beyond that it is much easier in this game to get good performances out of average players giving them the right role and with the right team talk.

Seeing as you don't bother with training, is this something that your coaching staff gets to handle automatically? because I haven't done anything to it, and I was wondering how the hell is it that my players will improve their abilities if I don't personally choose them to train on whatever I want.

[Crazy Jamie]

No, getting more out of rubbish players is to do with where you put them in the team, who you put them with (they perform better with players that they like), and what you say to them before the game. It's nothing to do with training, which I just generally leave alone.

I don't mean turning those players into world class stars, I mean getting good performances from them in the few games that you need them due to injuries.

[Partizan]

No, getting more out of rubbish players is to do with where you put them in the team, who you put them with (they perform better with players that they like), and what you say to them before the game. It's nothing to do with training, which I just generally leave alone.

I don't mean turning those players into world class stars, I mean getting good performances from them in the few games that you need them due to injuries.


I shouldn't have quoted your last post, it didn't have much to do with it. I am not only talking about rubbish players, but just players in general. Let's use Huddlestone as an example, he's very young and has plenty of creativity, but he lacks strength and movement, I guess if I work intensively with him on those 2 aspects in training he would eventually improve, and that improvement would appear when I activate the "show recent effects of training" under the "view" option in a player's profile.

The advice you're giving me is valid, but I guess that working with players on their training sessions should be important especially on the development of the younger ones (which improve at a faster rate until they reach 24).

Have you developed a young player into top class without even bothering on training them?

[Rahul]

Should have seen this earlier. Jamie, the older FM games had the option of leaving training to your coaching staff. 2006 and 2007 don't. You really need to do that training, and make it position specific, and not too hard (start from low intensity at preseason and crank it up towards the end of it, and then have a set pattern for the season). Personally, I think training is very important. My main training schedules are for my forwards, defensive style midfielders, offensive style midfielders, and for my defence. If you have any wing backs in your system its worth giving them their own schedule too. I also change my training scheme every month or so, so that I can have them working on certain aspects of their game more than others every month. This helps a lot. You also need to be careful when moving young players out of the youth system and into senior training, since they can't just settle into it easily.

Jamie, what you're saying is definitely correct as well. Squad depth is very important in this game, but training those backup players helps them a lot.

Have you developed a young player into top class without even bothering on training them?
Not in the newer versions of the game. About young players, if you're playing with a big database, look out for Italian youngsters. Their physical stats are really really good, and they can do very well under a good youth coach.

[Partizan]

another thing Rahul, how are your settings during a match. I'm referring to the game speed, highlights speed, the option where you select if you wanna watch the full game, key moments or commentary etc?

[Rahul]

My game speed is half and my highlight speed is 3/4. Aside from that my settings are all default.

[Partizan]

So I guess you watch the full match then? Generally how long does a match last for you in real life minutes?

[Rahul]

i dont think its a full match, because they dont show all the action. My games normally last me 10 minutes or so. Depends on how action packed it is.

[Donpaulo Inc.]

I dont think the injuries are silly, I enjoy a few players being out it gives me chance to try young/froinge players and even try players out of position sometimes which once or twice has worked so well that I've adapted them to the role

[Northern Lights]

I have 100% game speed and around 75% highlight speed.

[Donpaulo Inc.]

Ditto, my friend watches as much as he can but personally I like to get on with it

[Crazy Jamie]

Right, I've got to grips with the training now. Thus far I've set several different groups, and it's working well. I have different groups for strikers, defenders, goalkeepers, attacking midfielders (including wingers), and more defensive midfielders. I also have the odd individual training routine for youngsters. And so far it's all working out well.

[Donpaulo Inc.]

I'm midway through my second season with Atletico and I'm not exagerating when I say since the very start of the first season I've had either a cold, the flu or a virus rip pthrough my squad, does this I have one particularly deseased member of my squad? Or is the weather really bad in Madrid?