Don't be put off by the wall of stats you are faced with when you click on a player's name. The information here is ordered and logical and will enable you to manage your players effectively.
It is split into two sections - the main profile window and a biographical info panel on the top left of the player's screen.
Profile
This panel gives a snapshot of a player's abilities and career. A quick glance at the statistics here should enable you to develop an initial picture of the quality of a player and the position and style in which he plays.
A player's nationality, position and contractual situation are presented along with his attribute polygon. This is an overview of the useful Personal option in the Info Panel.
Attributes
Your first port of call in assessing a player, this panel is broken into the three key areas of a player's ability as well as a crucial fourth indicator of a player's status. Only top players will score highly across the board in these statistics, so right away the colour-coded attribute scores are likely to tell you whether a player's key strength is his technical, physical or mental faculty.
When you are looking at your own players or potential transfers these attributes are a crucial indicator of how they are likely to perform in your side. There are many layers of analysis you can conduct here...
In the narrowest sense, you should examine these statistics to see if a player can do a certain job on the field. When it comes to dishing out Player Instructions attributes such as a player's Heading, Jumping and First Touch will clearly directly influence their suitability as a target man, for instance.
Taking a step back, you can analyse a player's worth positionally by judging them using groups of statistics. For example, a top central defender would be expected to have good Marking, Tackling, Bravery, Decisions and Heading. If you're not satisfied your players meet the standards you've set for your side you can always use the customised search engine to seek a replacement.
If you want to read a more general assessment into a player's attributes you can take a step further back again. Given that a player will not be judged solely as an individual, you can use the attributes before you to assess a player's 'team fit' as part of your tactical master plan for your side. If you are looking to build, for instance, a team of grafting, no-nonsense hardmen, it would pay to look for individuals with high Teamwork, Determination, Work rate and Aggression stats. And, just as these attributes indicate a player's personality, you can also read into other stats the temperament of a player. Alarm bells should ring on a disciplinary level if you come across an individual with superb Flair and Creativity ratings, but low scores for Work Rate, Teamwork and Concentration.
If you can't see the attributes of a player who is not at your club you'll have to use the Get Scout Report option to send a scout to assess the ability of the player in question. Once your scout has done so, a report will be filed in News and all of the attributes will be revealed on this section.
Note, these attributes alone are not enough to indicate the precise ability of a player. Hidden stats, which can only be uncovered in the Editor (See http://community.sigames.com), govern the true ability of an individual and the potential he has to become a top player.
Luckily, a player's stats are far from static. As players mature their attributes are likely to improve, as they age their stats will decline. Best of all, you can influence their stats through training. Click the Show Effects Of Training checkbox and you'll see an arrow after each attribute which shows how your regime is affecting a player's abilities. If you're unhappy with a player's training schedule you can alter it straight away by heading to the training section. You can supplement this crucial information on the performance of your player in practice by checking out the overview.
In the 'Other' section you'll get a crucial breakdown of a player's Condition, Form and Morale, which all affect his performance, as well as a goalkeeper rating, which is useful for outfield players when you come to choose a deputy in the event you have no remaining goalkeeping substitutes and you need to replace an injured goalkeeper.
Selection Details
This panel provides a brief run down of a player's current availability. As with all screens in Football Manager, you can use this information to your advantage. The Injuries item is straight-forward enough, but you should certainly check a player's History, whether he's a current player or transfer target, to see whether an injury-proneness indicated by repeated injuries means you'd be unwise to rely on him as a regular and should even consider offloading him.
Similarly, a lengthy ban could hint at a disciplinary problem that could lead you to the same conclusions. If you make regular notes you'll be able to build up a picture of bad behaviour.
Low fitness levels too could be an indication of poor training, mentality or Natural Fitness and should be examined by the thorough Football Manager if you're to ensure the team has every possible chance of winning when they take to the field.
Stats
The final set of data on a player's info screen is perhaps the most important as it translates his attributes into an analysis of 'on the pitch' performances so you can judge how well he has fared in recent games.
This is an abridged version of the match stats. If a player has only been involved in a few matches it will pay to examine the quality of the opposition by looking at his club's results to ensure you are not getting a false impression of an individual who has played against lesser opposition. The best Football Manager will always delve deeper than these statistics, which should only give a guide to how well an individual can play, as a matter of course. Figures can be inflated by playing in weaker leagues, or a goalscorer may have notched 6 goals in 1 game, then failed to score for 9, giving him a reasonable 6 goals in 10 games stat that doesn't truly reflect his form.
Info Panel
On the top left of the player screen you'll find a list of options that will enable you to delve deeper into the profile and past performances of a player. They mostly expand the snapshot information provided in the aforementioned Player Profile window. This is where you can assess the worth of a player as a transfer target. You can also learn here how a serving player can be used to improve your chances of success on the pitch.
Positions
A crucial screen that enables you to see exactly what positions suit a player. Going beyond the fairly basic positional description given with a player's name (eg AM/F C), this break down shows you what positions a player can be utilised in, which is especially useful in an injury crisis when you need to ask players to play out of their preferred position.
The one-word analysis of a player's ability in a given position indicates exactly how much their performance is likely to dip below their full ability. When selecting team tactics you should consider that a player who is accomplished in a certain position will play almost to his best ability, but will still fail to perform as well as a natural performer in that position. Of course, you should not slavishly adhere to these descriptions when you select your side. It would be pointless playing a natural striker with poor stats and awful form ahead of a superb attacking midfielder who's on fire, capable of scoring goals and pretty handy up front.
One real note of caution on positions: players who are not judged to have any qualities in a certain area of the pitch will simply perform as 'bodies' and are unlikely to add anything to your side's chances of victory. Avoid this situation at great cost, perhaps drafting in youngsters if you're faced with the prospect of fielding a player who is wholly out of position.
Use the preferred moves information in the tactics menu to issue specific player instructions to get the most out of an individual. It might pay, for instance, to ask a player who likes to go for short, simple passes to avoid long balls, even if the rest of your side is relying on them.
Personal
Here you'll find invaluable, fundamental information about a player and, even more importantly, data about his current happiness and concerns.
Contract
You can find details of a player's contract on this sub-tab.
Transfer
You can find details of a transfer information on this sub-tab.
Stats
Need to look even more closely at a player's contribution in matches? This screen charts a cumulative analysis of your player's efforts and is another valuable resource in evaluating his effectiveness.
- Training: Overview
This screen looks at your player's overall performance on the training ground, providing you with key information that should enable you to modify their schedule to get the most out of them.
- Training: Attributes
A superb way to track the impact of your training regime on a player's stats. You can click up to six of the stats on the right hand panel to view a line charting how they've changed over the course of your stewardship at a club.
If you find some stats are on the slide you should consult your training regime and break down which stats come under which training discipline and rethink your approach to that area. For instance, if you find a player's Marking and Positioning figures are worsening, you may want to up the intensity of their defensive training.
You should only undertake changes to your training regime in the knowledge that time and the nature of physical exercise mean there will inevitably be some trade-off where certain stats improve at the expense of others. With this in mind you may wish to ensure stats that are less important to a player in a certain position are the ones to suffer. For instance, there would be little harm in a striker losing ground on a couple of defensive stats, provided he was making strides in his attacking figures.
Reports
Get a comprehensive report on any of your players from any member of staff. If a player can play in multiple positions you can tailor the report to the desired position.
History
A player's history is essential background reading if you are weighing up a transfer bid for him. It shows how a player has performed at all his clubs as well as charting media comments, his injuries and his achievements. Think of it as an introductory dossier on the ability of a player and make sure you deploy your scouts to follow up any hunches you have based on these figures.
Player Actions
Also available by right-clicking on a player's name, the Player Actions options enable you to interact with a player in many different ways. From altering his squad status, to criticising a performance, from making an offer to a player not contracted to fining an individual for failing to turn up to training, if you need to have a face-to-face with a player, find your choice from the 'Actions' menu button.
Squad
Enables you to switch players between your first, reserve and (provided they are a youngster) youth team squads. Such movement may seem innocuous enough, but it can have a huge impact on the happiness of an individual.
The happy task of promoting players from youth to reserve or reserve to first team squads can give a player a great boost, provided they're allowed to settle in the higher tier. Players who are swapped up and down between squads are likely to become frustrated, a fact that will be reflected in their Personal information.
Swapping a first-teamer down to the reserve squad can also affect the player greatly. Many professionals see first team football as a divine right and will not take kindly to languishing in reserve football, especially if they are unprofessional or have a big reputation. However, the reserves is a great weapon in your arsenal. Aside from the fact that you can drop players down temporarily to help them regain match fitness or ease them back into action after an injury, you can also be wilier about using the second string set up. If you have a player, for instance, whose personal data suggests he wants to stay, though you are keen for him to leave your club, a spell in the reserves is often a way of clarifying your message that his time at the club is up.
Certain players may occasionally require a fixed period in either the first, reserve or youth team, for example when they are recovering from injury, or lacking in match fitness - you can now set the length a player moves to either 1, 2 or 3 weeks, or until the player is match fit.
Training Schedule
This is a quick way of changing the schedule your player is following, but also an opportunity to give your players a break from training. You can use the rest option to give a player extra time to recover from an injury, or, more likely, to enable them to recuperate after a mid-week international, or in the event that you are playing several games in a short space of time.
- Set Transfer Status
Use this screen to establish a players worth to the squad and in the transfer market as well as manage their availability.
- Offer To Clubs
Try to initiate a transfer by approaching other clubs to indicate your player is available.
- Move to Affiliate
Here you can suggest a loan period for one of your players with any of your affiliated clubs that have this loan agreement. This is only a suggestion however and it's not guaranteed that the player or club will agree with your opinion.
- Offer New Contract / Offer Contract
Approach a serving player with a new deal or, if a player is a free agent, offer a player contract directly to the individual and his agent.
Release
This option enables you to terminate a player's contract and allow him to go on a free transfer to another club.
This is split into two options - the Release On A Free option should be used for players who don't want to leave the club as you'll be forced to pay compensation. This would be useful, for example, if you had a disruptive player in your squad nearing the end of his contract and you simply wanted to get rid off him before he damaged the morale of his team-mates further. It also gets players off the wage bill, so could be an emergency option to reduce that financial outlay, especially if the chairman is on your back.
The Mutual Termination option is ideal if both parties are happy for a player's time a club to come to an end, as it avoids the need for you to pay compensation. Be warned, however, if a player refuses the offer of a mutual termination their happiness could be severely affected and unhappy players have a habit of unsettling dressing rooms.
Player Interaction
Talking to your players is key to keeping a happy settled squad, and on Football Manager, you can interact with your team in more ways than ever. Firstly you can ask a member of your squad to recommend a coach or scout for your backroom staff. Or, similarly, you can ask the player to recommend a new signing for the club - an excellent way of improving all-round team spirit. Finally, if the player is coming to the end of his playing career, you can tell the press that you think a player would make a good manager, scout or coach.
If a player is on a run of good or bad form, there may also be the option of interacting with them about this.
Discipline Player For
Sometimes a player steps out of line and, as manager, it's up to you to discipline them. Using this option you can choose the severity of your reproach (from a simple warning to a fine of two weeks' wages). Select your punishment and the offence for which you wish to reproach your player carefully as over-zealous or frequent fines will leave players feeling they have been unfairly treated, a sentiment that could be echoed around the dressing room. Fail to punish misdemeanours such as turning up late for training or making negative comments in the media will, conversely, leave the squad questioning your authority and is just as likely to undermine your position at the helm.
You'd be well-advised to issue a warning prior to a fine for all but the most serious of offences, as long as you follow up that threat with a fine in the event of re-offending.
Also, be extremely cautious about disciplining a player for a poor performance on the pitch. A low rating alone doesn't tell the full story of a player's game. A hot opponent, covering for weaker colleagues, coping after a sending off, your own tactics or even simply an off-day can all result in a player registering a low rating. Punishing them under any of these circumstances is only likely to leave a player feeling extremely unhappy.
Compare With...
This section allows you to compare the attributes of a certain player with another. You can also compare player's general stats as you look to pick the right players for the right role in your team.
Misc
Gathered under the miscellaneous options is the Set Nickname option, which enables you to allocate a new name to one of your stars. You can also choose a player to set a player search filter from, which will take the individual's key attributes and run a search of the database to find similar players. Perhaps useful when looking for 'the next...'
Use the View Notes option to examine all the notes you've made on a player and build up a picture of his career and personality that will help you to learn what makes your squad tick.
The most useful option, though is Compare With. This links two players whose profile screens you have just viewed to enable you to directly compare the stats of two individuals.
Use it as a guide to compare your existing players with potential transfer targets, or to contrast the abilities of two serving players before you make a tactical decision.
Subscribe
Add a news subscription to ensure that any news involving the player comes to your Inbox.
Create Note
Add a note about the player.
Leave Of Absence
If a player is homesick you have the option to send them on a leave of absence to enable them time to overcome their personal problems. However, the wisdom of such an action is questionable, given that allowing a player to return to their homeland will often only heighten their sense of loneliness on their return.
This tactic is useful, however, as it will usually buy you a grace period in which your player will return to your squad temporarily happy, enabling you to find them a new club more easily. After all, few managers are prepared to take on a player who is unhappy in himself, rather than simply unhappy with his contractual/ professional situation.
Other Players
If the player you are focused on is not in your own squad there will be other options available to you. These relate to acquiring the services of that player and should be your main destination when you are looking to buy a player.
Make An Offer
Approach a club to enquire about the availability of a player or bring him to your club on a temporary or permanent basis. If you have already made a bid you'll be able to Withdraw or Change it here.
Get Scout Report
Interested in a player? Or simply looking to identify threats for your forthcoming game? Use the Get Scout Report option to send one of your scouts to assess the player's ability. The scout report will appear in the News section and will breakdown a player's ability, their availability and how much they'd be likely to cost.
Add To Shortlist
If a player's already on your shortlist you can use this option to remove them too. Use the time frames to manage your shortlist, which can become unwieldy, only placing long-term targets on the list indefinitely. Players who are out of contract or up for sale are likely to move more quickly, so use shorter time frames to keep tabs on their availibilty and then drop them from your shortlist when they have settled at a new club.
sDeclare Your Interest
This is another chance to use the media in your quest for success in Football Manager, but - as ever - it's fraught with hazards. Declaring your interest in a player will signal your intent to sign them, which could have two positive effects:
Firstly, it will help to unsettle your transfer target and perhaps open the way to a move if the club blocks your approach. A player is likely to become disgruntled and pressure his own employer for a move if a lucrative transfer is on the horizon and they are less than happy with their current situation.
Another positive effect of declaring your interest in a player is that it will provide a boost for the supporters of your club. Press speculation linking you with the signature of a top star will only excite the fans, though failing to follow up your interest could be dangerous...
Constantly telling the press you are in pursuit of a player, without that interest being followed up, is liable to turn you into a laughing stock and disgruntle your fans who want to see signings not promises. Similarly, suggesting you are interested in signing a string of players will lessen the impact of your declarations with time.
The best advice here is to use declarations sparingly and only produce a false promise to pursue a player when you are in desperate need of a boost to your popularity with the fans.
