Help Portsmouth

I have tried to be the manager of portsmouth 6 times. I have been sacked 6 times!!!!!!!!!!! No matter what loan players I get [those who will come] and the tactics I play it is making no difference. Of all the FM I have played [and I go back to Commodore days] this is the most depressing.
Before I try for the seventh time has any one got any ideas??? I do not over spend and I do not try outlandish tactics. Is this a default criteria you will get sacked if your team is predicted promotion and you are not in the play off positions after 8 games.

Help please

Use your backroom staff. They will give you advice, some is complete shite, but some of it is useful. When you get the Team Report at the start, look at all the players in depth, if your central midfielder is more suited to being an Advanced Playmaker, and you play his as a Ball Winner, you're never going to get the best out of him. Identify who you want in your team, and work out a formation from that. Maybe 'outlandish tactics' are the way forward, but I suggest taking each game as it comes, not setting a certain way your players play each match. Tactic Guides are all over this site, just have a look around. Hope I helped a bit.

I'm so glad I read this!!

I was a KING at CM/FM in the 90s and 00's I owned every version of this game since cm2 and had hundereds of years of careers!! Until around fm12/13 time.

Since then, it's impossible. I've bought guides, read tonnes and tonnes of useless crap about how to create tactics and succeed but still I fail....

I don't want to try and play with another team, so have no idea if it's just as hard for everyone, but no matter what tactic I use, how many wins I get at first, what players I sign, or what feedback I give my squad, I eventually start losing games and don't ever win enough to keep my job again. As I get zero obvious feedback from the game about why I've lost or was sacked (other than the obvious results) I just keep restarting and repeating the same thing over and over...

I've even used the 'wonder tactics' from this forum, nothing works long term.

is there anyone out there that can actually play this game and keep their job or is there some big secret/special hand shake that no one shares in order to get a winning run?

Have a rotation of tactics that directly suit all your players. This also helps in the case of injuries and suspensions. Try and give the team an extra morale boost when you're on a good run and lift them up when things look like they could fall apart. Find a good assistant and use him wisely, maybe even have him suggest a team for the next game (save your selection first) and then see how they contrast. Even try using mind games more in the media and praise individuals for good form.
The key however is tactics; don't necessarily have different tactics for different games, but make little changes like going to counter away from home and control/attack at home. There doesn't have to necessarily be outlandish tactics and changes but if things really aren't going your way then don't be afraid to give things a huge shuffle.
That's all I can suggest as these are usually techniques I use for my games. I struggled a lot on FM13 until very late on, but I've got right into the swing of FM14. Maybe it's just one of those adaptation things. I've found that this FM seems to have a heavy emphasis on continuous change and tinkering however. Hope this is helpful

Thanks for the reply, I'll try to apply your advice to the game and try again!

Thanks for the advice. I will try Portsmouth for the 8th time. I agree Pompey G its not as fun as it used to be. Must be getting old!!!!

Followed this advice, had 3 tactics, had 1, had 2, tweaked, did nothing, all no good.

Someone please make a football manager game that works

Hey, other Pompey fans...

Try this formation for size!

http://www.footballmanagerstory.com/football-manager-2014-best-tactic-untouchable-4-5-1/

I've not been sacked by boxing day and am 4th in the league with this puppy!

Well 5-3-2 is starting to work. I haven`t changed the side for 9 games and I`m 5th and not facing the sack yet. Its not very inspiring lots of 1-0 wins. You never know i might make it to Christmas without getting the sack for the 8th time.

haha, i might try that!!

451 has me 2nd in the league with 5 games to go!!

wish me luck

FYI I won the league!

Just pipped the title on the very last day of the season

Yeah, boring tactic for me, I like having 2 strikers but having been sacked 7 times before xmas before this, I'm not going to complain!

Brilliant
PUP. Down to 6th heading towards insecure status. Oh No..............

If you get sacked, try the tactic and instructions on the link I listed above for the 451.

replace anyone who gets below 6.5, warn below five and praise above 8.1...

working so far anyway