Pre Match

Pre-match team talks offer you a chance to give your squad a small pep talk before they head out for battle. This will come in a number of individual directives or overall team messages.

These talks can have an affect on your players' mentality and performance heading into the match, so be careful. Certain players are more prone to respond to your words in games of high pressure. Others may be distracted by you constantly advising them before games, while some need that little reassurance of your trust or a lift in confidence. If you can master the talk, the difference could be as much as an extra trophy in the cabinet, but it's a fine line so tread carefully.

At the break

Half-time basically works in exactly the same manner as any opportunity to reassess your side's tactics, with the key difference that you get to address your players directly.

In any game it's unlikely all of your players are going to perform at the same level, so you can use the drop-down team talk buttons next to each player's name to issue a brief assessment of the way that player is playing.

When you issue a team talk assessment you must take into careful consideration the personality of the individual concerned. You should be able to deduce from this, and any notes you've made on the player, whether they are more likely to respond to encouragement or criticism if they are playing badly. And remember to take advantage of the stats options on offer to judge exactly who has been putting in poor performances, rather than those who haven't been fed the ball by their team-mates or those who have had the run around from vastly superior opponents.

The effects of your team talk will appear in the commentary, with vital clues contained in the text of the accompaniment to your match. A player suddenly performing with more energy has clearly been inspired by your words during the break. Be sure to check how the ratings at full-time compare with a players' overall performance at the break to see if your words have had a huge impact.

Of course, when choosing words to berate or encourage your stars you must also be conscious that they'll still feel the effects of your dressing downs after the game. Expect news items to appear commenting on the happiness or disillusionment of players who feel you have treated them well or badly during your team talks. While there is a chance you will anger a player with harsh words during a game, you should also note that this invaluable opportunity to speak with them directly affords you the perfect chance to turn around a relationship that has begun to sour.

Post Match

At the end of the game you'll also get a chance to address your players on an individual basis or as a group with the same drop-down options. These assessments of your player's contribution to the game are all the more stinging when they are negative because the player involved does not have the opportunity to respond on the field. Branding an individual an embarrassment is a risky policy that could lead to negative Press and may cause a serious and instant deterioration in your relationship with your player.

Say Nothing
Sometimes it's best to say nothing at all. Even football managers sometimes get carried away in the heat of the moment and berate players when a dramatic silence would speak volumes. Many of the players you'll manage will be all too aware of their performance level you and what the fans expect of them, and the more professional ones will berate themselves if they don't get it right. If you are not sure how a player will react, or if you have not properly assessed the player's contribution to the game, you'd be well advised to adopt the 'silence is golden' approach.

Be wary of ignoring team-talks for long though - players need instruction and they will become uneasy at a lack of direction from their manager. If you don't wish to conduct team-talks yourself, you can leave it to your assistant or coaching staff by ticking the 'Assistant Manager/Coach takes charge of team-talks' in manager options.

Team Talk Feedback

It's all well and good giving team talks, but how do you know the reaction of your team to your words of wisdom? This is where your Assistant Manager steps in. This screen shows the reaction of your squad to your team talks in your most recent match. From the 'View Team Talk' drop down, you can switch between each talk you gave, and see how every individual reacted to what you had to say.

Naturally, this is a source of some very useful information. By noting the situation, comment, and reaction, you can efficiently plan for the future, and hopefully get a positive reaction from your players each and every time. If you come across a negative response, you can simply plan not to go down that route again.

Your Assistant Manager also reports on the morale and unity amongst the squad. This is quite important, so ensure you check the screen regularly to keep an eye on whether your squad are as happy as they can be.