Team Meetings - why bother?

[Tubbs]

Managing Tottenham, 4th in Prem after 13 games, 5 unbeaten. So, in team meeting I say (and i paraphrase) "Well done on recent form, lets push on towards our goals".....response....75% ANGRY, 25% FURIOUS.....seriously, what is this feature all about?

I know I shall ignore it from here on in.

[PhilT]

I know what you mean. This truly is a weak point of the game. I stopped using it years ago, as you felt you were treading on egg shells at anything you said to the team. I also never prise my players because the amount of my top performers who have said "I don't think i'm playing that well" caused more harm than good.

[Tubbs]

Agreed. I mean in a sim like this Team Meetings need to make sense. After all, as a gaffer, talking to the whole team like this is surely bread and butter? Hey ho, best left alone from here on in.

[FrazT]

The whole player interaction module has been and still is far too sensitive IMO.  The number of times that players are prepared to confront their manager, often over minor issues, is unrealistic.  Why any player gets upset over being praised is beyond me.

[anagain]

You just have to pick your moments right. I find them best used to turn around really poor form.

You have to ask yourself questions about your form. Is it truly great, or have you just had an easy run? 5 wins after 13 matches would be great if you'd played Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea. If you've just played Burnley, Norwich and Stoke City it's not so.

Team meetings aren't there to be used like player praise after a match. They're there for irregular use when you really need a boost or one more win might seal something big.

I do agree with Fraz in many ways though. There are some over the top reactions in the game. Regardless of how often you use team meetings a 75% angry response is a little crazy. But that's why I say limit their use. 

Edited December 21, 2021 by anagain

[LokiValfar]

Did a team meeting to praise the England squad for a win, getting us World Cup qualification..

They went mental at me.

Haven't bothered with them since.

Club ones are stupid too, I wanna say "I want us to win the champions league" not I want us to reach the final, because if I say I want us to reach the final, the team aren't happy with my ambition!

[Prepper_Jack]

It definitely could use some rework. I've run into a number of team meetings where every single one of the options given would lead to a very negative reaction, and not one option which might be the one I would say.  A lot of the reactions are just absolutely nonsensical, even if you give one that is actually what you want to say. Last one I gave was after a heavy loss, but a great overall season where we had been expected to be relegated, but due to the power of tiki taka found our way to the top of the league, and by a decent margin. Leading up to this match, they had perhaps grown a bit complacent or overconfident, and margins were getting tighter. Speech was along the lines of (paraphrased) "ok, last match was garbage, but you've done really well this season. So let's put this behind us, refocus ourselves and kick on from here". Everyone goes enraged and tells me I shouldn't be praising them, because they've been playing awfully. I wasn't praising them. I was telling them to focus. This is why I save before doing them, and have absolutely zero guilt in reloading it if things go sideways.

I mean, I love the fact that there's individual chats, team meetings, and all that stuff. When things are working right it almost gives you a sense you're managing a team. Unfortunately it just seems like they only half finished it, stapled the remaining pieces together, then sacrificed the QA team to Loki.

[Garethjohn79]

In-match ''Shouts'' are the same, ''Fire Up'' they get upset, 3 - 0 down, ''Demand More'' they winge, ''Praise'' they go purple.

[Cobblers]

Afraid to say I use it, but save-scum it first to ensure there isn't going to be a stupid reaction.

It is weird how a team can absolutely dominate the footballing world, so saying to the team "want to reach the final" of a competition (we have won on the trot for a number of years) is still looked upon as being too ambitious/players get angry about it just doesn't make sense.

The whole thing needs a major update.

[fc.cadoni]

1 hour ago, Garethjohn79 said:

In-match ''Shouts'' are the same, ''Fire Up'' they get upset, 3 - 0 down, ''Demand More'' they winge, ''Praise'' they go purple.

Berate working when you are go down by 2 goals according to my finds so far. 

[isignedupfornorealreason]

I've only used them twice so far, outside of the introduction one;

 

1st was a cup final - piled the pressure on and they loved it. Started the final 'motivated' before the team talk.

2nd was new expectations for the new season, they accepted the league aims, but wanted more for the cup aims. So I relented on the cup and they were quite happy.

It shouldn't really matter as long as what you discuss with the squad doesn't impact the board expectations.

[Viking]

I agree player and team interactions in general needs a major overhaul. I always avoid them if I can and always scum save if I can't.

I still think interactions should be in the game, though.

[woodsy1983]

I only use it when it’s offered to me before a cup final or league game to win the title.

Probably just confirmation bias but two times in a row I didn’t use it then lost the finals then won a couple after using it so always use it now for these games.

[TIR669]

From the current options, I bother only with team talks and shouts.

And even those two I always pick the same option

• for team talks: prove a point, encourage, revenge for last loss, expect better, no complacency etc., always boosts everyone's morale
• for shouts: encourage after 20mins if not leading, praise if leading by 2, does the same for body language at any given moment in match

One more interaction is when I need to solidify a relationship with a loan player or a target, helps to praise them over training, form (although you need to pick your moments) so over time you will become close with the player and have a better chance of signing them. And attending a match for 2secs then leave if scouting a target. 

Everything else simply makes absolutely no positive impact and can only lead to problems. A player can lose all morale over a training praise, or want to instantly leave the club 2hrs after transfer deadline even though you're top of the table because you didn't sign a good enough player (in his opinion) for a random ML position which you promised.

The fact that press conferences, pre-match interviews, manager praises, team meetings and more either have zero/close to zero impact on the game or they can instantly drop everyone's morale even though it makes no sense to do so, means they should not be in-game or need to get reworked asap. 

But then again, the rework will probably be one of FM2X's headline features...

[Colorado]

Yeah, agree with general sentiment here. Incredibly over sensitive and more often than not,  a hindrance.

[thefmveteran86]

17 hours ago, anagain said:

You just have to pick your moments right. I find them best used to turn around really poor form.

You have to ask yourself questions about your form. Is it truly great, or have you just had an easy run? 5 wins after 13 matches would be great if you'd played Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea. If you've just played Burnley, Norwich and Stoke City it's not so.

Team meetings aren't there to be used like player praise after a match. They're there for irregular use when you really need a boost or one more win might seal something big.

I do agree with Fraz in many ways though. There are some over the top reactions in the game. Regardless of how often you use team meetings a 75% angry response is a little crazy. But that's why I say limit their use. 

I hear you I only do it at key moments like start, middle and end unless we're in the middle of a rut

[kepz]

My Darlington squad were 13(!!!) points clear and my assistant told me it was a good time to tell the boys that they could win the title with a victory in the next match. 
 

I call them in, tell them how proud I am of them and how I want to make the supporters happy and win the title for them. 
 

Whole squad gets pissed and the captain snottily tells me they weren’t expected to do it in the beginning of the season so all I’ve done now is put too much pressure on them. Rather than being a happy moment with my squad where we defied the odds and won the title, I instead have a squad full of whiny babies who need to be coddled despite having a 13 point advantage going into the final leg of the season with no possibility of losing it. 
 

I don’t always save scum, but when I do, I do it before a team talk. 

[LokiValfar]

Just made the mistake of clicking "hold team meeting" before a World Cup final....

The entire squad were "infuriated" with me for telling them their current form was perfect...

Not like we just beat Germany 6-2 and Brazil 4-1 to get to the final or anything....

[kentonizking]

22 hours ago, LokiValfar said:

Did a team meeting to praise the England squad for a win, getting us World Cup qualification..

They went mental at me.

Haven't bothered with them since.

Club ones are stupid too, I wanna say "I want us to win the champions league" not I want us to reach the final, because if I say I want us to reach the final, the team aren't happy with my ambition!

International ones are the worst

[Cam NBH]

5 hours ago, LokiValfar said:

Just made the mistake of clicking "hold team meeting" before a World Cup final....

The entire squad were "infuriated" with me for telling them their current form was perfect...

Not like we just beat Germany 6-2 and Brazil 4-1 to get to the final or anything....

 

Thats ridiculous

[casualassassin]

Team meetings, as well as single-player interactions are kind of weak. All of the above are true for me as well, but also a player getting upset that I played him as an AP instead of a Mezzala even though he scored 30 goals and got league PoY, and you want to leave? Ridiculous.  

[KingCanary]

On 22/12/2021 at 13:57, woodsy1983 said:

I only use it when it’s offered to me before a cup final or league game to win the title.

Probably just confirmation bias but two times in a row I didn’t use it then lost the finals then won a couple after using it so always use it now for these games.

I'm the opposite - I always skip them in those instances as I inevitably say the wrong thing. 

[fc.cadoni]

Before promotion match, cup final or any other super important match is a big red “don’t press accidentally team talk”. 😅

I have noticed also: Press Conferences with positive option, was building a good relationship with journalists. Now it’s “reserved” or “neutral”.

[Garethjohn79]

I've got a journalist from the Football League Paper who hates me but follows me around each club, I refuse to answer his questions anymore why can't he just p off, there are 71 other managers to bore. 

[kepz]

2 hours ago, fc.cadoni said:

Press Conferences with positive option, was building a good relationship with journalists. Now it’s “reserved” or “neutral”.

The only way I’ve ever gotten the press on my side was by literally pointing a finger at them and negatively responding to everything they ask! 

[sdx15]

34 minutes ago, kepz said:

The only way I’ve ever gotten the press on my side was by literally pointing a finger at them and negatively responding to everything they ask! 

The press like scandals. Wagging fingers and banging tables is what they really want and need from you. An accurate representatiom of today’s media. 

 

EDIT - I’ve also noticed their mood goes from literally anything to very happy when they ask you a provocative question.

Edited December 23, 2021 by sdx15

[jbricandy]

On 23/12/2021 at 14:30, casualassassin said:

Team meetings, as well as single-player interactions are kind of weak. All of the above are true for me as well, but also a player getting upset that I played him as an AP instead of a Mezzala even though he scored 30 goals and got league PoY, and you want to leave? Ridiculous.  

yeah it's hard to develop close bonds with players because you're **** scared they'll hate you for simply saying they make a good cup of tea or complimenting their hair cut.

[podunkboy]

whatever you do, DON'T shake their hand or put your arm around them or compliment them on scoring a brace for their national team, because you'll get a "I don't need YOU to tell me how great I am!", even if you are their national team manager and you're listed as "favorite personnel". I had a player do that to me, I kicked him from the team, wiped him from the National Pool of players, and nicknamed him "Susan". 

 

[isignedupfornorealreason]

8 minutes ago, podunkboy said:

whatever you do, DON'T shake their hand or put your arm around them or compliment them on scoring a brace for their national team, because you'll get a "I don't need YOU to tell me how great I am!", even if you are their national team manager and you're listed as "favorite personnel". I had a player do that to me, I kicked him from the team, wiped him from the National Pool of players, and nicknamed him "Susan". 

 

Just highlights how bad the module is tbh, it's been awful for ages.

[fc.cadoni]

31 minutes ago, podunkboy said:

whatever you do, DON'T shake their hand or put your arm around them or compliment them on scoring a brace for their national team, because you'll get a "I don't need YOU to tell me how great I am!", even if you are their national team manager and you're listed as "favorite personnel". I had a player do that to me, I kicked him from the team, wiped him from the National Pool of players, and nicknamed him "Susan". 

 

HAHAHAHA 

[john1]

2 hours ago, podunkboy said:

whatever you do, DON'T shake their hand or put your arm around them or compliment them on scoring a brace for their national team, because you'll get a "I don't need YOU to tell me how great I am!", even if you are their national team manager and you're listed as "favorite personnel". I had a player do that to me, I kicked him from the team, wiped him from the National Pool of players, and nicknamed him "Susan". 

 

Brilliant  

[enigmatic]

On 21/12/2021 at 21:28, FrazT said:

The whole player interaction module has been and still is far too sensitive IMO.  The number of times that players are prepared to confront their manager, often over minor issues, is unrealistic.  Why any player gets upset over being praised is beyond me.

My favourite bit is how players can spend weeks feeling "unfairly treated" because you praised the wrong thing they did well in game, but if you give them an official warning for poor performance they think is unfair, they just shrug it off

[jbricandy]

38 minutes ago, enigmatic said:

My favourite bit is how players can spend weeks feeling "unfairly treated" because you praised the wrong thing they did well in game, but if you give them an official warning for poor performance they think is unfair, they just shrug it off

The game should be renamed BDFM.

[Viking]

3 hours ago, podunkboy said:

whatever you do, DON'T shake their hand or put your arm around them or compliment them on scoring a brace for their national team, because you'll get a "I don't need YOU to tell me how great I am!", even if you are their national team manager and you're listed as "favorite personnel". I had a player do that to me, I kicked him from the team, wiped him from the National Pool of players, and nicknamed him "Susan". 

 

Excellent. There's nothing like sweet, sweet petty revenge in FM. I once free transferred my entire West Ham team after an awful loss against Arsenal while severely drunk. This was a long time ago in the lovely CM years when the board did not interfere in your every move, so I actually ended up with no players and no money. And a hangover. It was worth it.

Nowadays I like to fight fire with fire when other teams come in for loan moves for my best players by offer to loan some of their best stars. I suspect the irony gets lost on the AI, though.

[agent007]

8 hours ago, Viking said:

Excellent. There's nothing like sweet, sweet petty revenge in FM. I once free transferred my entire West Ham team after an awful loss against Arsenal while severely drunk. This was a long time ago in the lovely CM years when the board did not interfere in your every move, so I actually ended up with no players and no money. And a hangover. It was worth it.

Nowadays I like to fight fire with fire when other teams come in for loan moves for my best players by offer to loan some of their best stars. I suspect the irony gets lost on the AI, though.

That means nothing to the player, cause he has no emotion. you can kick he out of the national team all you want, it means nothing to him.

[Marabak]

It's the anger from positive comments that make no sense. Instead, there should be a risk of complacency. Basically every interaction should just be a complicated form of:

• Praise a player - either motivated or complacent.
• Berate a player - either motivated or angry with you. 

Every comment is fundamentally one of the above, or a neutral comment. Everything else is window dressing.

[Prepper_Jack]

5 hours ago, Marabak said:

It's the anger from positive comments that make no sense. Instead, there should be a risk of complacency. Basically every interaction should just be a complicated form of:

• Praise a player - either motivated or complacent.
• Berate a player - either motivated or angry with you. 

Every comment is fundamentally one of the above, or a neutral comment. Everything else is window dressing.

Disagreed. There have been many moments in my life, in sports, business, and elsewhere, where I have been disappointed by people further up the chain for lacking vision and ambition, often to the detriment of everyone involved. It's not a pleasant thing to be intensely motivated and inspired, then ultimately held back by a person who has risen to the level of their incompetence. This can absolutely lead to depression, annoyance, and anger in a driven individual.

It is, however, a bit on the overstated side in the game sometimes, particularly in team meetings, and could use some tuning.

[LokiValfar]

18 hours ago, Prepper_Jack said:

Disagreed. There have been many moments in my life, in sports, business, and elsewhere, where I have been disappointed by people further up the chain for lacking vision and ambition, often to the detriment of everyone involved. It's not a pleasant thing to be intensely motivated and inspired, then ultimately held back by a person who has risen to the level of their incompetence. This can absolutely lead to depression, annoyance, and anger in a driven individual.

It is, however, a bit on the overstated side in the game sometimes, particularly in team meetings, and could use some tuning.

I agree with the lacking vision and ambition statement, but that's also where the game screws up.

In the preseason meeting you can say "lets go win the title again boys" but if you've just won the Champions League and would like to defend it, you only get "lets reach the final again".  I'd like to say "lets go dominate *insert continent here*", but the game itself only gives me "lets reach the final"...

The team usually goes REEEEEEEE  that's not ambitious enough, but its the best option I can pick...