The Enigma, That Is, Football Manager.

Its Hammer Time

So I guess you could argue I just have a small attention span, is that all there is too my indecisiveness when it comes to our beloved FM?

Recently I decided that to continue to be 100% motivated in continuing with a save, is to play in a league which you can guarantee you will enjoy every year.

So whilst it would be incredibly exciting with the prospect of getting Genk their first ever European Cup trophy, I cannot justify this as being enough a reason to start a save. This is because the league itself does not interest me as much as the Premiership.

My issue is I go through many phases when all I really want is to find one team I can stick with. I have recently created a Chelsea save after my save with Man City failed. However, after a kind gentlemen @Carlosh declared his interest I a previous save I had with West Ham, I felt myself gravitating back to them with the off chance I create a successful save third time lucky.

Rise Of The Liverbird

As it stands i am top of the league come January.

The only thing that stands in my way are Chelsea, who lie in second place 2 points behind me. So if they win they go top.

i am trying to convince myself that i do enjoy playing as Liverpool, however there is something that's preventing me from getting the Full enjoyment.

See, if there is anything i have learnt in FM, (and this is pretty obvious anyway) it is that for me personally to give my full attention to a save, i need to feel a certain degree of passion for a club.

So everyone is different obviously. Our brains decide which teams we are attracted to based on their players and style of play. Everyone has a primary team in which they support however others have maybe a "second team" or other teams in which they for whatever reason, have a close connection with.

Now due to my family upbringing, i am and always will be an Arsenal fan. However growing up in the late 90's, i also had a fond interest in Manchester United. Understandable i think. They were the glamourous team to beat with the likes of Giggs,Scholes,Beckham,Butt and the Neville brothers. I also keep an eye out for QPR's results due to my dad being a fan, and it being the first ever team i saw play live. In terms of foreign teams. I have always preferred Barca to Madrid due to their own philosophies.


Whilst i have been longing for a save which suits me in terms of my tactics, i still find myself looking for something more. I want to enjoy every game. I want to get the most out of every season. I feel like if i win the league in my first season, whats the target next year?

obviously the Champions League (if not this year), the treble, just world domination. But what use is all that if your not enjoying the journey...

Liverpool are fantastic on FM18. They have so much talent. Salah, Firmino, Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold etc. They have so many players with incredible overviews. Since my first paragraph i beat Chelsea away 4-2 which now makes me want to go on and win the league.

However it just goes to show, no matter what the teams transfer budget is, and the squad, nothing can beat passion. Passion at the end of the day is what keeps us all going. The drive to do well with a team we care about.

Thoughts Of Today

So i personally wouldn't recommend getting FM19.

I would prefer not to only have 1 year to get into a save. I would rather wait it out until all Genie Scouts updates are released for fm19. Otherwise you are constantly having to wait for the next update- " this version is not compatible etc"

I have just downloaded FM 19's Facepacks and Database.

This is awesome and made me almost ready to start fresh as if i was playing FM19.

saying that, i am thinking about starting a Barcelona file after all the updated transfers.

This is because, i have found, that on my most recent Unemployed save, i was just constantly looking for the next club to manage. I started at Bognor Regis, next went to Harrogate. Which was great. Enjoyed getting promotion where i then got picked up by Oxford. However, i found that i was constantly looking for the next challenge, the next best thing.

I don't think the Unemployed save works personally. Unless you have the patience and can enjoy the journey to stardom. Otherwise your better off being a lower league team you actually enjoy and have the enthusiasm and motivation to manage, like Salford perhaps. That way, you know your journey. You know the target. You know the goal.

I have come to a FINAL Conclusion on this discussion and story actually.

When starting a save, if you want it to be the most successful file. I personally need to manage i team i actually care about. I loved Blackpool under Ian Holloway. I support Arsenal. I care about Manchester United and my Dad supports QPR. In terms of foreign teams, i have always loved Barcelona because they choose to bring through youngsters rather than focus on building a team of Galacticos. They also have always had this free flowing possession based philosophy which i love.

Where does this leave me now?

Well, in the meantime i am going to enjoy myself and manage either Atletico or Barcelona. Granted i have failed before with both teams however i have now found a tactic where recently i have won the league with both Liverpool and Manchester City.

Another Must with me is that i need to enjoy the "feel" of the team?

e.g because i have always used the 2D highlights view, i need to like the feel of the team when they are running around the field, even though i am not playing with them like Fifa etc.

This is why i struggle to keep up the motivation with teams like City and Liverpool. After a while, it just didn't feel right. This is where i have come to the Final Conclusion that i need to manage a team that i know i will enjoy being for seasons to come. I dont want to manage a team where i am thinking about the next team to manage. But i want the opportunity to move on, should i feel i have achieved all i can.

This is why i cannot manage the team i support.

A save with Arsenal seemed like a match made in heaven. Except i could never resign from the club i love, but i worry i would get bored of playing year by year with the same team.

So if i come across a team i can manage until next May, when all Genie Scouts are up to date on FM19, which is when i will purchase 19, i will.

But right now, thank you for reading this, and i will most likely be creating a Barca, or Atleti story, until i find a team i want to manage lower down, that i can enjoy the feel of.

McRoberts Dandies

So a recent file I have decided to once again, quit is my Aberdeen save.


The thought process behind the Aberdeen save was to create a dominant side to knock both Celtic & Rangers off their perch.

After a first very successful season, however I find myself bored. This is because Aberdeen so little funds to grow and I don't enjoy the league itself enough to continue.

So once again, I have proved to be a terrible FM player after once again being my indecisive self.

Rise Of The Tractor Boys

Second Season Sydrome

So after a massively successful and typically romantic season on FM18; i have now decided on another huge factor that comes into Football Manager, the game.

So, i game because surely there has to be an end to the game right?

Well, of course. We purchase this game with an understanding that in an ideal world, the team we start with; is the team we will still be managing come November the next year.

I have looked at the leaderboards in the game, and i personally am gobsmacked at how someone can get as many points with managing just one team for a whole year.

I absolutely love this game, but i do sometimes wonder if i am the best kind of player.

I find myself as excited as anyone when playing my first season, its just the second season in which i can potentially fall under the trap of losing interest.

Surely after taking relegation favourites Ipswich town to 8th position in my first season is a reason in itself to want to continue and take them to greatness?

Well i have to admit, although i have no reason to currently leave Ipswich; i am still searching for perfect happiness.

I am unsure if i will have the enthusiasm to manage Ipswich for a whole year.

What is the answer.