Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

Official Football Manager 2017 Career Thread



jcdenton08

Enemy of the People
NSC Patreon
Oct 17, 2008
10,473
Warning - mega post.

Welp, it's that time again. FM 2017 Beta is well and truly out and I'm really enjoying it so far. Couple of random crashes (it's a beta after all) but nothing too infuriating as I set autosave fortnightly. Every season there is something before the first patch which is ridiculously wrong. It's the same with every game! Previously it has been; too many penalties, too many red/yellow cards, too many injuries, that kind of thing. Then it gets patched and job's a gooden. Don't ask me why this happens! This year, the ball hits the post/bar at least twice a match, normally from mishit crosses. Lots of goals from the ball rebounding back off the keeper, too.

I decided this year that, despite playing an Albion career every game since CM 96/97, we're actually a bit too good now! With the ground, the money, the great chairman, great squad etc to be honest I don't think it'd be a challenge. So I started unemployed at the very bottom rung and this is what has happened so far;

CURRENT GAME DATE

7th August 2017


CURRENT TEAM

Barnet FC


LEAGUES RUNNING

Brazil (All)
England (All)
France (All)
Germany (All)
Italy (All)
Scotland (All)
Large database


I began unemployed with my real details (30-something, English, fat *******, blue/white Albion tie in case they decided to suddenly sack Hughton and I got an interview). Started on National C (lowest) licence as a 'tactical' manager with 'Semi Professional' ex-playing experience.

I applied for every job going until finally getting an interview - for Conference South relegation candidates Bishop's Stortford. My blue and white interview tie sealed the deal, as luckily they play in Albion's colours, plus by promising them I'd play route one football. I began to consider myself the Egil Olsen of the non-league scene and started wearing wellingtons to matches. (Why isn't there an option for this??).

Things started badly after an almost-immediate bust-up with my new chairman, Ian Kitteridge. First of all, he completed nixed my suggestion to find a parent club, as any income received would be 'negligible'. I pointed out that we only had £20k in the bank and about seven fit players, but Ian held firm. With my wage-free loanee idea pooh-poohed, I suggested a 'trial day' to try and sign anyone half decent in the Hertfordshire region, but was told that all the locals were too shit to play for us, despite us losing our first friendly 1-6 at home to a fellow Conference South side.

I realised that I had a tough job on, losing the next two friendlies heavily, so focused on being as defensive and boring as possible. I switched from my trademark 4-2-3-1 Wide to a rigid 4-5-1, playing route one, very narrow and even ordered the groundsman to narrow the pitch. Sadly, due to skinflint ******* Kitteridge refusing to buy a lawnmower to trim the pitch, we got the youth team boys in with a pair of scissors each. It took three weeks.

Desperately needing to strengthen the squad (nearly all of whom were playing on a non-contract basis for appearance money only), I resorted to signing former Albion failure and noted gambling addict Lee Hendrie on a pay-as-you-play basis. This had huge ramifications as the fans immediately took a disliking to Lee, telling me his signing was an 'aberration'. He turned out to be utter shit. In fact, over the course of the season 99 (!!) trialists came and went. Inexplicably, former Barcelona player and Swedish captain Patrick Andersson joined as Chief Scout. With no transfer budget, Roy Essandoh (remember him?) as my assistant and a tiny £4k per week to spend on wages, recruitment was tough.

Bishops%20Stortford_%20Transfers%20Transfer%20History-5_zpsv8silyty.png


I landed Oxlade-Chamberlain though! Alex's brother. On loan.

My nightmare positions were goalkeeper and striker, in fact by November I had used five goalkeepers in league matches. Eventually, Brazilian Evandro Rachoni took the captain's armband from the hapless (and luckless at the bookies) Lee Hendrie and made the position his own.

Things started reasonably well, with my defence holding up nicely, going unbeaten in our first ten league games and conceding only twice. We were extremely lucky in this spell as we seemed to have one shot on target per match and score it, while keeping eleven men behind the ball home and away. A sudden 0-3 defeat to eventual champions Ebbsfleet United saw us come unstuck. We briefly got things back on back before three consecutive 4-0 hammering, two at home, including our first and only televised game against Charlton in the FA Cup First Round. Due to it being a BBC broadcast, I made a point of saying I don't pay my licence fee during my post-match interview, I was just about to start on a tirade about Jimmy Savile before Manish Bhasin cut me off, the smug *******. Still, it was a sell-out and Kitteridge got to line his pockets. We now had over £300k in the bank and I hadn't seen a penny of it.

Bishops%20Stortford_%20Schedule%20Senior%20Squad-5_zpsmcwob4ru.png


The FA Trophy saw a limp first round exit in a tricky tie away at Aldershot, but by now I was starting to lose faith in the direction we were taking. This is for two reasons;

Firstly, I was offered a new contract, for less than my part-time physio was earning. When I tried to haggle, they played hardball. We were fourth in the league at the time!

Secondly, as almost my entire team were playing without contracts - and unwilling to sign them because they felt the club was too small - towards the end of the season I lost my best player and only consistent performer, Reece Hall-Johnson, to League Two Mansfield for nothing. We then lost key centre-back Zac Fagan for the same reason to bloody AFC Fylde! This, coupled with a minor mutiny after I decided to fine thug-like midfielder Lee Sawyer for getting his THIRD straight red in 14 games, all for two-footed lunges from behind, I decided it might be time to further my career.

As the season reached its climax, and distracted by (unsuccessful) job interviews at Wrexham, Accrington Stanley, Wycombe Wanderers, Mansfield Town and York City, we reached the playoffs on the final game of the season. A win saw us finish in 5th, the final playoff spot, and the joint highest ever finish in The Blues' 147 year history. Kitteridge offered me another contract, with an extra £25 per week to sweeten the deal. If I wasn't actively looking to leave before, I was now, no matter what happened in the playoffs.

Vanarama_National_League_South_Overview_Stages.png


We were drawn against Wealdstone. We won the first leg at Woodside Park 1-0, on a terrible surface due to constant flooding and having to also train there.

Our constant indiscipline (worst disciplinary record in all of the leagues - I checked) was our eventual downfall. Already trailing 0-1 in the return fixture, but hanging on in the tie, we were once again reduced to ten men when useless Aston Villa loanee Joonas Sundman was sent off. I decided to park the bus and play for penalties, and it worked! Then... heartbreak as we lost 9-8 in a thrilling penalty shootout. Arse.

Wealdstone_v_Bishop_s_Stortford_Overview_Overvi.png


Immediately after the match I pulled a Gus, telling the press that I feel I had taken the club as far as they can go (I failed to add 'under that **** Kitteridge', my one regret) and began applying for every available job again ala Ruel Fox. I reluctantly signed a one year deal with just one day remaining on my contract, however.

I finally successfully interviewed for and was offered the Boreham Wood and Gateshead jobs (both in Conference National) - and the Barnet job in League Two. I held on for the Barnet job - and got it! A huge fictional payrise to over £600 p/w and a chance to manage in league football. Last season they finished a respectable 12th but I've inherited a weakish squad (or maybe I'm just getting my excuses in early). I'll update my progress at The Hive in the next edition!


IN OTHER NEWS


Man Utd won the Premier League by 14 points, with Swansea, Sunderland and Hull (on 18 points and two wins all season) going down.

Man Utd have just signed 29 year old Gonzalo Higuain for £53m, potentially rising to £84m.

England lie in second in World Cup 2018 qualification, trailing Scotland on goal difference. A 1-1 draw against Lithuania being the lowlight so far.

The Albion finished 5th, with Newcastle winning the league with 100 points, 19 points clear of Norwich in 2nd. We lost on penalties to Brentford in the playoffs, who subsequently beat Aston Villa to win promotion to the PL.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,730
Brighton
These are great. Vicariously living my former addiction through this. Please keep it going.
 


Mental Lental

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
2,271
Shiki-shi, Saitama
I did this with 2016. You're right it's too easy with Brighton now. I started unemployed with Sunday league experience. My career game has gone Berwick Rangers>Slough>Plymouth>B&H Albion>RB Leipzig>Dortmund. Currently runaway winners of the Bundesliga and have a Champions League final to play.

Against Brighton. :thumbsup:

In my game Hughton got Brighton up but then was sacked after getting relegated the following year. They ran with Brian Deane as caretaker manager for the rest of the season :lolol:, who was bobbins and took them into the bottom half of the Championship. At that time I'd just won league 1 with Plymouth and applied for the job. I think the game gives you a bit more clout if you apply for the club that you register as the club you support at the beginning of the game because i got the job. Took Brighton up and spent 3 seasons turning them into a European force, before I let my contract run down. I spent over half a season unemployed because no juicy big clubs outside of England were available. So I joined RB Leipzig in Germany just to keep my oar in. They were rock bottom of the Bundesliga but I managed to get them into the last Euro cup spot on the last day of the season.

Ironically Alex Neill who replaced me at Brighton could only get them to finish 3rd and didn't win anything else so he was replaced with Dortmund manager Diego Simeone. I went for the vacant Dortmund job and got it. Simeone is doing well, looks like he's gonna win the Premier League (Man city in 2nd are 3 points behind Brighton but have a game in hand. And he got them into that all important Champions League final with my Dortmund team.
 
Last edited:


JOLovegrove

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2012
1,998
Fantastic post, thank you! Please keep it up.

I am going to download the beta. Whatever I start on there, will I be able to finish that career when the full game comes out?
 


Gullflyinghigh

Registered User
Apr 23, 2012
4,279
Fantastic post, thank you! Please keep it up.

I am going to download the beta. Whatever I start on there, will I be able to finish that career when the full game comes out?

Yep, all beta saves will carry over to the full game (I just won the FA Trophy with Gateshead, wouldn't want to lose that), think of it as the full release but with a few occasional (but quickly fixed) bugs.

Good luck finishing a career in FM, I've been playing them since Championship Manager 3 and I've not yet considered any of them complete!
 




Dorset Seagull

Once Dolphin, Now Seagull
Still got a career save going in FM10 and haven't felt the need yet to move to a newer version apart from a few dabbles in FM13. I guess if I was younger with plenty of time on my hands it would be different but I sometimes go weeks between matches. I do enjoy following the likes of Cleon & rashidi over on the SI forums and do like reading a lot of FM related stuff
 




BBassic

I changed this.
Jul 28, 2011
12,220






jcdenton08

Enemy of the People
NSC Patreon
Oct 17, 2008
10,473
Question for the OP....how long did it take for one season?

An embarrassingly long time. You CAN play a lot quicker, but I tend to be doing other things as well. I'd say about 20-30 hours per season at the beginning, getting less as time goes on.
 


studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,555
On the Border
Waiting with interest to see how the OP gets on when the BREXIT changes pop up in the game, and to see how disadvantaged UK teams are in Europe.
 




Gullflyinghigh

Registered User
Apr 23, 2012
4,279
An embarrassingly long time. You CAN play a lot quicker, but I tend to be doing other things as well. I'd say about 20-30 hours per season at the beginning, getting less as time goes on.
I find it's the pre/post-season parts that tend to take me the longest time. All that scouting to arrange, all the hopeful youngsters on trial to sort through...fun times!
 




MattBackHome

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
11,689
[MENTION=12475]jcdenton08[/MENTION] what are your overall thoughts on the game?

I'm considering dipping back in for the first time since forever.
 




jcdenton08

Enemy of the People
NSC Patreon
Oct 17, 2008
10,473
[MENTION=12475]jcdenton08[/MENTION] what are your overall thoughts on the game?

I'm considering dipping back in for the first time since forever.

I'd love to say it's a revolution and must buy. For me it is, but only because I've bought all of them since CM2! Personally I'm really into it this year - but I don't know how much of that is down to the game itself. It's the best so far though because;

1. It's the most up to date
2. It runs the quickest

In truth not a lot has changed since 2013 or so, but they never make an incremental change which makes it worse, just marginally better and more up to date. If you have '16 and need to ask, you probably don't need it. Older than that and a lover of the game I'd say go for it.

Also, it's not released til the 6th November but don't be put off by the Beta of you wanted it for a weekend session. The annoying crossbar/post thing aside, it's the same standard as usual launch copies in usual years - and as I said there's always something they get wrong and have to patch. I see the full release as being more of a patch than anything. Had 3 random
crashes but the game is otherwise perfect.
 


Paul Reids Sock

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2004
4,458
Paul Reids boot
So, I am thinking of getting a new laptop (pretty much only so I can play FM) it has to be a laptop as I will travel around with it between my house, the inlaws, back to the parents, and when my second son is born in March I will do as I did with the first and sit playing FM waiting for his night feeds.

So, my questions is - Can I get a decent laptop that will cost not much more than £400 (preferably £300) that will be FM proof for a year or two?

I was thinking of the attached but that is mainly because I am a novice and got excited that it has money off and comes in Blue (I am an advertisers wet dream)

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/compu...15-au071sa-15-6-laptop-blue-10147524-pdt.html

Thanks guys
 


BBassic

I changed this.
Jul 28, 2011
12,220


jcdenton08

Enemy of the People
NSC Patreon
Oct 17, 2008
10,473
Onto my second season in management. In my first season I reached the playoffs with Bishop's Stortford, before crashing out on penalties. Constant disagreements with the chairman Ian Kitteridge and a Gus-style "I've hit the ceiling" style meltdown later, I find myself at League Two Barnet.

Now playing on the full game, rather than the Beta, I've noticed a few major changes. The post/crossbar thing has been adjusted, so it now happens far less frequently. HOWEVER, the new thing is penalties - especially missed ones. Both for and against, the numbers of penalties given has gone through the roof and more than half of these are saved. This will no doubt be patched and we'll have the 'final, final' game after Christmas.

So onto my career update...


CURRENT GAME DATE

11th August 2018


CURRENT TEAM

Barnet FC


LEAGUES RUNNING

Brazil (All)
England (All)
France (All)
Germany (All)
Italy (All)
Scotland (All)
Large database


Expected to fight bravely against relegation, I set out to improve the tiny squad inherited from Martin Allen. I began by setting up a link with former Premier League champions Leicester City which saw three season-long loanees join the club at zero cost. Before leaving the club, Allen had overseen a clearout which saw 11 players and staff leave the club, including Michael GASH (former Head of Youth Development).

Once again, I set up nice and negative, in a rigid 4-5-1 formation. A promising (if brief) pre-season told me that I had some decent players at my disposal (mainly John Akinde) but not nearly enough depth or quality throughout the team as a whole. We began with a promising 2-1 victory at Carlisle. A narrow 0-1 defeat at QPR saw us exit the EFL Cup at the first hurdle, before consecutive 0-1 defeats and a serious lack of chances forced me to be slightly more ambitious.

Barnet_%20%20Senior%20Fixtures-2_zpstbhoxs0u.png


In terms of transfers, the usual mixture of hits and misses. Hits included Paul Clowes on a free, who had a good season;

Paul%20Clowes_%20History%20Career%20Stats_zpscnnczpmq.png


Aly Mallé on a season-long loan from Watford, scoring 20 goals in 25 starts.

Aly%20Malle_%20History%20Career%20Stats_zpsdpj8qalc.png


Captain Chris "Hard" Lines did really well, I was tempted to sign triallist Giles Coke and youngster Graham White so I could have White Coke Lines in the middle of the pitch, but decided against it.

Duds included Rory "Dean" Gaffney and Ade Akinfenwa who spent the entire season crocked.

Barnet_%20%20Transfer%20History-2_zps32rsho67.png


Assistant Manager Lee Johnson was prised away, so I replaced him with Adam Le Fondre. Former CM 00/01 legend Jamie Victory joined my coaching staff.

We were in touch with the playoff positions throughout the season, never going higher than 4th or lower than 7th. Coming to the run-in, we had a chance to sneak into the automatic promotion positions with a result against Nigel Worthington's Luton (Nathan Jones was sacked back in October 2016, after 9 defeats in his first 18 games in charge). Unfortunately, we didn't turn up and got hammered 1-4 at home. This effectively ended our automatic promotion hopes. A really poor 4-3 defeat away to Bristol Rovers left us approaching the playoffs in a poor run of form and morale low amongst the lads. I called a team meeting which won over the majority of our players and we bounced back with an easy 3-0 home win against Yeovil.

The playoff semi final first leg was against Crawley - a 1-0 victory at Broadfield Stadium, Chris Lines converting an 83rd minute penalty. We breezed through the return fixture with a 2-0 win and no signs of the nerves my sides seem to always display.

This led to the playoff final at Wembley, my first Wembley appearance and a match-up against Darrell Clarke's Walsall.

Barnet%20v%20Walsall_%20Overview%20Overview_zpsdqmd6vcb.png


Going a goal down in the 51st minute, I could see our entire season going up in smoke. Once again, I had bottled it in the playoffs and my team hadn't turned up. I recalled Gareth Southgate's comments about Sven Goran Eriksson's half-time team talk; "we needed Winston Churchill, but we got Iain Duncan Smith". I wondered if this is what the players had been thinking as I calmly told them to go out and play their natural game. 1-0 down at Wembley, we were on the ropes and looked in deep trouble when Amadou Bakayoko again raced past our beleaguered defence to poke in from close range... but thankfully the linesman's flag saved the day.

Resisting the urge to make drastic changes, I pushed wingers Luke Gambin and Jean Louis Akpa-Akpro further forward, to a formation more resembling a 4-3-3. We started lumping long balls forward, revisiting my Egil Olsen persona from Bishop's Stortford. Out of nothing, Aly Mallé popped up in the 62nd minute to tap in a Luke Gambin cross. The game was hanging on a knife edge, with both sides creating very little. We were heading towards extra time when, player of the season, Luke Gambin popped up in the 90th minute:

Barnet%20v%20Walsall_%20Pitch%20Full_zpsna5yhfeb.png


A spectacular half-volley to win the game, seal promotion and send me absolutely batshit jumping up and down in front of my iMac like a mental person. It is THOSE moments, especially following last season's disappointment, which make me love FM so much. Onwards to League One!

Post-season, I was approached by the board and asked if I think they should buy the stadium. I said yes, go for it lads, despite a) not being qualified to advise on investments of this scale and b) not realising that this would put us immediately £2m in the red with no real way of repaying it. This meant, once again no transfer budget would be available to me and no money could be spent on any other improvements in the club infrastructure. The good news I suppose is the club now own a ground attractively called 'The Hive'.

League One beckons!



IN OTHER NEWS


Man City won the Premier League by 6 points, with Burnley, Norwich and the SCUM going down. Palace were the whipping boys all season too, finishing on just 22 points.

Man City signed Antoine Griezmann for a flat fee of £86m in January 2018.

England won the 2018 world cup! With Rashford creating three and scoring one in a 4-2 final win over Belgium.

England%20v%20Belgium_%20Overview%20Overview_zpsvgcwzmvk.png


The Albion have reached the PL!

Sky%20Bet%20Championship_%20Overview%20Stages_zpsccrgq82r.png


Stockdale is still first choice keeper, Dunk went to West Brom for £5.25m rising to £7.5m. Jayson Molumby(!) was snapped up by Everton for £1.3m rising to £3.2m. Jack Elphick(?) has gone to Liverpool for £1.5m rising to £4.6m. Lua-Lua went to QPR for £350k. Tomer Hemed went to CSKA Moscow for £3.4m rising to £4.3m.
 
Last edited:




shaolinpunk

[Insert witty title here]
Nov 28, 2005
7,187
Brighton
In my game I'm at the end of January and am second in the league, just - consistency is a problem when it comes to closing the gap on Norwich who are 10 points clear, or pulling away from third. In other news, I've somehow made it to the final of the league cup and Sam Baldock is on track to score 30+ goals
 


sussex_guy2k2

Well-known member
Jun 6, 2014
3,695
An embarrassingly long time. You CAN play a lot quicker, but I tend to be doing other things as well. I'd say about 20-30 hours per season at the beginning, getting less as time goes on.

Up until FM14 it used to average about 12 hours a season, with slightly more for the first one. After FM14, with a number of changes they made, it seemed to take substantially longer to play a season and, with time limited for me due to age and commitments, it became unsustainable, so it's interesting that you talk of over double that in the latest one.
 



Paying the bills

Latest Discussions

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here