Starting a game - difficulty level

[wazza]

I have generally bought the game each year but decided to miss out on FM17 as I had being finding that due to the depth of the game, the detail I like to put into it that I hadn't been progressing on it as quick as I used to - until FM16 I generally average 5-6 seasons in a year, which isn't very long for a journeyman save that I like to play.

 My current save on FM16 I am in my 15th season over 2 years. 

My issue is on these saves I start off on a sunday league rep which starts me off in lower league management, but if I got FM18 I may wish to start my journeyman save with a club with a bit of a better reputation - I fancied the Blackburn job - but like to have an interview first so didn't want to select them. 

Is it classed as if you start with a Sunday League rep the game is harder and more realistic for you or is the reps set at the beginning to decide your starting club - if I decide to get FM18 - (this will be a decision on what the future videos reveal and if they do enough to make me quit my current save I'm enjoying) and I want to start at a club like Blackburn what should my starting rep be as I want the game to be a challenge (hence Sunday League rep) but also due to time restraints want to manage top clubs as quick as possible, so I can manage some of the players that are familiar to me.  

 

 

[FrazT]

If you set the stating reputation as automatic, the game will set it at a reasonable level for the standard of the team chosen to manage, so the difficulty level will be average.  If you choose to start with no reputaion, it will undoubtedly be much more difficult, but not impossible.

[Cougar2010]

You should choose a starting rep that matches the level of the club you wish to manage.

Some people consider the rep a "difficulty level" but IMO its not at all and just leads to the in game functions not working as well.

[Vane]

I recall when the game didn’t give you an automatic rep to match the club that you were managing. It meant that if you started with Man Utd, everyone - fans, board, press and the players wanted you gone on day 1. There was a lot of whinging and so automatic rep was introduced. Adds realism.

[Spurs08]

On 05/10/2017 at 09:40, Cougar2010 said:

You should choose a starting rep that matches the level of the club you wish to manage.

Some people consider the rep a "difficulty level" but IMO its not at all and just leads to the in game functions not working as well.

I actually err towards the opinion that the option to start with a blatantly inappropriate reputation should be removed, or at the least come with a gigantic flashing red warning box first. Loads of newer players don't realise the impact it will have and massively handicap themselves.

[wazza]

31 minutes ago, Spurs08 said:

I actually err towards the opinion that the option to start with a blatantly inappropriate reputation should be removed, or at the least come with a gigantic flashing red warning box first. Loads of newer players don't realise the impact it will have and massively handicap themselves.

What is the issue with it?  Even though Ive been playing the game since it first came out - I have always had a journeyman save on sunday league rep and not noticed any issues

[Spurs08]

17 minutes ago, wazza said:

What is the issue with it?  Even though Ive been playing the game since it first came out - I have always had a journeyman save on sunday league rep and not noticed any issues

Journeyman's fine. It's when you start at a top club and it results in a demotivated squad, poor results, and lots of disciplinary problems with the players having no respect for you. It can be worked around, but it's frankly a little silly and definitely makes it easier to go into a "death spiral" after a couple of bad results.