Various Improvements [Discission]

[DJTacon17]

Hi there, I have played way too much FM over the years and feel I have a reasonable grasp on the game and it's features. I love this installment of the series, it's probably my favourite since the 01/02 Champ Manager. Despite this I would like to put forward a few ideas of changes and see what you guys think of them! Let me know!

This season I have carried out a Journeyman save of sorts, which is a type of save I had never really tried before. Its very rare that I move on from a club, preferring to take them as far as I can before starting a new save with a different team. I started with my local side, Kirkley and Pakefield and I am currently at Real Madrid in the year 2032 having also managed at Maidenhead, TNS, Ross County, Ajax and Juventus. This type of game has thrown up a few obstacles that I would love to see addressed. I started with my own age, coaching level and experience level (28, no badges and Semi-Pro player). The following are all ideas that I have jotted down whilst playing the game this year.

• I would have liked to have been able to use my wage, or a portion of my wage, to have paid for a coaching course. Whilst at clubs lower down the ladder it was tough to get board approval for courses due to financial limitations. However some of the other coaching staff members were able to self fund qualifications.

 

• Another option would be the inclusion of a clause within the managers contract stating that he would be put through certain coaching courses whilst with the club.

 

• The ability to mark a club you would like to manage and have the game notify you when that job situation changes (i.e Stable>Insecure), or becomes available without having to be following them through the social media pages.

 

• Update the Manager traits page of your manager Profile. For example I always use my 2nd choice GK in domestic cup competitions, and I have seen this on other AI manager profiles. It would be nice if it was able to recognise my manager traits and add the appicable ones to my profile. The game is able to discern that "I always answer calmly" so a feature along those lines would be brilliant.

 

• The chance to bring in independent/self-employed coaches to do one on one sessions with particular players in the style of Superior Striker who works with a wide number of Premier League players without being affiliated to any particular club. For example if you had a striker on a goal drought you could bring the coach in for some one on one sessions and improve the players morale/confidence?

 

• The adding of "Favoured Personnel" to your manager profile. There may be a particular player or member of staff that you re-sign when moving clubs. When I left Ajax for Juve I paid £17m to have my Argentine CB follow me to Italy. And then when I left to join Real Madrid I also took my Assistant manager witrh me. Also if there is a particular plauer that you praise to the media consistently he would be classed as a favoured personnel candidate, if only for the time at that club. This could work in a similar way to the Dynamic Rivalries feature.

 

• I liked the addition of Sports Scientists and Data Analysts in this years game and would even enjoy the addition of further backroom staff member roles to further develop a backroom team. A Sports Nutritionist for example is something that more and more top level clubs are looking to employ. I would also ask that the key attributes for the roles above be noted and highlighted when looking at their profile as with other staff roles.

 

• The ability to set up more detailed set pieces as well as different options for different areas of the pitch. For example if you have a free kick out wide in the final third, say between the goal line and the 18 yard box, you could choose to treat the free kick "Like a Corner" which would automatically select the runs and player positions used in a corner. You could break the pitch down in to segments for different options, such as - Shooting Distance, Wide areas, Deep in opposition half etc.

 

• Staying with set pieces - a more detailed system of where you want the ball delivered. Say a grid like system, which would allow you to designate a near post delivery, but also a certain area within the box and near post area, This would allow a bit more freedom and customisation of set piece routines.

 

• When searching for loans, the chance to eliminate the players that are at clubs who would require a wage contribution to loan their player out. This would just be a time savng tool when managing a club with financial restraints.

 

• The retention of scout reports on a database you have access to. When I have moved clubs I suddenly lose all knowledge of the players I have managed for the past 4 years? This doesnt really make sense, sure the data and attributes would change and go out of date, but the minute I leave a club I lost all the reports I had collected in 4 years there? Also, if I sign a scout from my old club, it would be nice if he came across with the knowledge he had acquired whilst working for me at the previous club. By this I mean he will retain a certain level of knowledge of players he had scouted previously.

 

I'm sure there are many more I've forgotten to write down in my countless hours in this save. If  I think of anymore I will post them as and when. Let me know what you guys think. Are any of the above worth including in Football Manager 18??

 

 

 

 

[DJTacon17]

Also forgot to add....

 

When searching for an affiliate club of your choosing the chance to offer multiple suggestions, like the board do when finding an affiliate for you. Searching for an affiliate yourself is a nice feature, but one I now very rarely use as 99% of the time the board tell me its not possible. If I am able to offer them a few options then maybe the chances of me getting a club of my choosing are increased.

[David_H1997]

Definitely agreed on the self-funded coaching courses. I've been at my club now for almost 4 seasons (only club so far). They're semi-pro and operating at a loss so I couldn't take even the lowest coaching course. I had to wait for a board takeover, first one failed, then a year or two later, one went through so I went straight in with a request to take a course whilst we had about 40k in the bank. They said yes after some convincing, but 2 of my staff self funded theirs. It has held me back a bit I feel.

[Neil Brock]

Reviewed so locked.