Football Manager 2017

StringerBell

After my humiliation at the hands of Madrid in the CL I walked the league, but lost in the CL qualifiers to FK or some **** like that, bloody Icelandic team! Drew 0-0 in the home leg, lost 3-2 away....walked the league again for my 7th title in a row. Bologna offered me a job in January, they have good facilities, decent potential imo and they were 18th in the league. I just closed my eyes and went for it, not the most prestigious job I have been courted with but the most interesting, certainly the timing felt right.

Very hard to leave Waterford so I just went for it without thinking too much about it.

ShaneU

Mc Love wrote: »

The social media feed is beyond useless.

There's always one positive, one middling and one negative response for everything. It's terrible.

Best player at the club signs a new contract...."I hate this, what are they thinking?" Joe Bloggs (Supporters' Trust)

Also fans getting mad at you selling fringe squad players that rarely play is annoying as well.

Mc Love

ShaneU wrote: »

There's always one positive, one middling and one negative response for everything. It's terrible.

Best player at the club signs a new contract...."I hate this, what are they thinking?" Joe Bloggs (Supporters' Trust)

Also fans getting mad at you selling fringe squad players that rarely play is annoying as well.

Plus I tend to miss out on some news stories or rivals signing players I have on my shortlist because of it.

A Brad Maddox Guy

Mc Love wrote: »

Plus I tend to miss out on some news stories or rivals signing players I have on my shortlist because of it.

This is my biggest gripe with the game. Wish there was a way to turn off the social feed so everything goes into my inbox like before, it's such an inconvenience particularly when clubs are releasing players and I don't get emailed about my shortlisted ones.

The_Kew_Tour

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Year 2024

Well have 1 game left in CL but its EL for me (again)after getting knocked out with game left. Unbeaten in LOI again but lost league cup to Dundalk on Pens.

Ludogorets, Spurs and Barca were in my CL group

Lost 4-3 away to Ludogorets, after being 2-0 up, lost 5-1 to Spurs which was unlike my team to get hammered. Then lost 2-1 away to Barca after going 1up. Decided to change from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 with DM. Beat Barca at home 1-0 and Ludogorets 2-0. Spurs have 10 points now but still happy.

I have very young team and im thinking of actually keeping same team next season. My 4-5 top players are no older then 23 and seem want to stay.

Only slight concern is my wage budget is at 192k per week. My main winger got offers and he stayed for 58k!!. My highest earner by 30k.

Year 2025

Unbeaten in the league, won 30 drew 3, Win FAI Cup, but get beat to Dundalk on Penos in league cup(again).

However the CL is big daddy in my eyes and got a easy group of Barca, Bayern and the Isreal champs(cant remember name at minute)

Lost 3-2 at Home to Barca. Bad start and thought I was in trouble. Then go to Bayern score early and even then id take a draw but unreal that I win 1-0. Now play Israel crowd away and stuff them 3-1. A decent 2-2 away at Barca is followed by 3-1 win against Bayern to finally reach the holy grail of group stage! Drew last game with 2nd string.

Draw for CL last 16 could not have been better. Got Sporting Lisbon. At home in first game and things going well statisically up to half time, but we make couple of mistakes and get beat 2-0. Drew 1-1 over and thats my run over but its a step in right direction.

castletownman

Won the PL with United by three points after entering the final gameweek only ahead of Arsenal on score difference. They surprisingly lost 2-1 to Sunderland and Zlatan got the only goal in our game vs Leicester Beat Leicester 4-1 in the FA Cup final a week later. Had a good run in Europe only to be beaten 3-1 on agg. by Spurs in the Champions Cup semi final (in the height of my title charge so hard to balance both). Zlatan scored 30 odd goals and set a record for most assists in a season so gave him another one year deal.

Summer has seen me sell Martial to PSG for £103 million (!!), and recruit Icardi and Ascencio. Thought I had Renato Sanches in the bag too for the Martial capital but he had just signed a new contract and didn't want to negotiate.

Bayern made a bid for Matthais Ginter, and when I rejected it, he got upset so had to succumb when they came in again. Signed Laporte as a replacement for his minimum release clause.

Managed to somehow flog Rojo off to China for about 19m, and flogged off a couple of under 23s for ten million combined. Carrick retired, Schweni released and Rooney the latest player to fall victim of the MLS "bug".

As things stand I am happy with my squad, and would have been ecstatic had Sanches came through (should secure him next summer). Bit light in midfield though, with TFM, Herrera, Schneiderlin and Thiago Maia the four options alongside Pogba.

Back line is looking like Danilo-Smalling-Laporte-Shaw with Jones, Bailly and a 17 year old re-gen the backup (Tuanzabe too). Have plenty of potentially quality players breaking through in the development squads. Can't wait for Mkhi-Asensio-Griezmann playing behind Icardi (with Zlatan, Mata, Rashford, Memphis and a couple of youngsters) to rip up the league

StringerBell

Ascencio and Icardi were mainstays of my United team Hope they are as good for you as they were for me

castletownman

StringerBell wrote: »

Ascencio and Icardi were mainstays of my United team Hope they are as good for you as they were for me

Early days but promising start. Icardi scored a brace on his PL debut and two against Arsenal in the Community Shield as well. Asensio got off the mark in his debut too.

Splunked the remainder of my transfer budget on Joshua Kimmich (62m) as I needed an upgrade on Schneiderlin/Herrera. Have a solid looking first XI at my disposal now as a result:

DDG
Danilo-Smalling-Laporte-Shaw
Kimmich-Pogba
Mkhi-Mata/Asensio-Griezmann
Icardi

Pereira
Pol Lamot (loan)-Jones-Bailly-Darmian
Schneiderlin/Maia-Herrera
Lozano-Asensio/Mata-Rashford
Zlatan

Plenty of interchangeable options there. Will be hard to keep everyone happy. Roll on virtual European dominance though

StringerBell

Always wanted to see how Ascencio would do for me as a 10 but it suited my team better, and he excelled at, a deeper role as a AP with either support or attack. The United team he was part of generally played a 4123, him being part of the 2.

Sanches was also a part of that team, super player. Him, Ascencio and Pogba dominated in midfield for years

ShaneU

StringerBell wrote: »

Always wanted to see how Ascencio would do for me as a 10 but it suited my team better, and he excelled at, a deeper role as a AP with either support or attack. The United team he was part of generally played a 4123, him being part of the 2.

Sanches was also a part of that team, super player. Him, Ascencio and Pogba dominated in midfield for years

I have Renato Sanches and his performances have been pretty shíte, any advice?

StringerBell

ShaneU wrote: »

I have Renato Sanches and his performances have been pretty shíte, any advice?

What system do you play and where does he fit in and what role?

May aswell tell me who else plays in the team and what sort of training ye do too I suppose

I find him to be pretty versatile tbh, played him as a DM with DLP(s) setting, AnchorMan, BWM etc, played him as part of the two centre mids as an AP both attacking and supporting, been very good as BBM also and other then spells of poor form here and there that all players go through he has been one of the most consistent players in the team for nigh on a decade

A Brad Maddox Guy

3rd season with Dundalk is over and it's a second league title, we walked it in truth & broke the club goalscoring & points records for a single season with 79 & 82 respectively. Qualified for the Champions League for the first time; drew Bayern, Celtic & Shakhtar Donetsk but only got 1 point. Cork won the FAI Cup. So far my team is predominantly made up of Dundalk & LOI players irl which I'm very happy with considering our success but after getting hammered so many times in the group I think this is the season I'll have to make changes. I've noticed a lot of the players whose contracts are up for renewal are looking for big raises so I have a good excuse to purge the team of lesser & aging talents with demanding agents i.e. Mountney & Gartland.

One big success story is my regen striker Ryan Bell. He came into my youth team at the end of the first season and was a great finisher with not much else. He scored 10 goals in 10 games on loan at Sligo last season and I had to reject multiple offers from Celtic in the Transfer Window. This annoyed him but I persisted and after he had a great start to the season he signed a new contract, nailed down a starting position and got called up to the Ireland team (albeit by me but Roy Keane recommended it). He scored 26 goals for me and now Everton & Burnley want him but I'm determined to try and hang onto him, if I'm going to do well in the Champions League then keeping someone this good that's homegrown will be key as that's a regular issue with LOI clubs doing well in this game I've found. And despite the red arrows in the below screenshot his physical stats have actually increased by about 2 or 3 points across the board this season.

ThunbergsAreGo

Into my second season with Shels after a tough first year ended up with promotion thorugh the play offs. Stephen Elliot was the main player for me notching a number of goals (and continuing to do so in the Premier League).

Have two job offers one with Dundalk and one with Preston (possible Notts Forest on the way).

Do I leave or go? I like the idea of bringing Shels to Europe but can do this quicker with Dundalk (as full time) and might have more "fun" with Forest

StringerBell

My advice?

If your enjoying the Shels job then stay a little while longer, see how far you can take them. The job offers will keep coming since I am assuming you are a young manager?

Plenty of time to go abroad

TheDoc

I'm having a bit of a mare with my United save.

Feel like I'm reacting to quickly to poor results and then switching formations. Can't really settle on anything. Feel I've nearly packed my squad TOO well and can't settle. Absolutely pathetic start to my second season.

Really struggling to shape my squad how I want, and having to hold onto deadwood or players I don't want, causing me grief every week. I'm thinking that maybe the 4-3-3 that has been my mainstay for years just didn't working out and I need to change it. Problem being I've tailored my squad to it : /

Will throw up some screenshots at some point this week and someone can hopefully give me a digout, cause this game is killing me at the moment that I'm not arsed turning it on, which is a first in the series for me

threein99

TheDoc wrote:

Feel like I'm reacting to quickly to poor results and then switching formations. Can't really settle on anything. Feel I've nearly packed my squad TOO well and can't settle. Absolutely pathetic start to my second season.

TheDoc wrote:

Really struggling to shape my squad how I want, and having to hold onto deadwood or players I don't want, causing me grief every week. I'm thinking that maybe the 4-3-3 that has been my mainstay for years just didn't working out and I need to change it. Problem being I've tailored my squad to it : /

TheDoc wrote:

I'm having a bit of a mare with my United save.

TheDoc wrote:

Will throw up some screenshots at some point this week and someone can hopefully give me a digout, cause this game is killing me at the moment that I'm not arsed turning it on, which is a first in the series for me

Change to a 3-5-2

Kiith

Just won the CL and EFL in my 2nd league with Spurs, after winning the PL in year 1. Came 2nd in the league, to a big spending Utd, but happy with the season. Loads of my players wanted out though, as PSG and Barca came in with massive 200k+ contract offers. So i had to sell Lloris, Dembele, Wanyama and Verts. Replaced them with Donnaruma (or whatever his name is), Sule, Neves and Tielemans. Brought up some brilliant youth players, with Edwards being the best of the lot. 34 games, 22 goals and 11 assists at inside left forward.

Think i'll move on to a new save tbh, with a lower team. Want to work my way up from League 1 or something like that.

Uriel.

I am now in season 5 (haven't been getting as much play time as I woudl like) with my Gosport save (well started out with FC United but got sacked after 4 months).

Season 1:
Took over Gosport in December when they were just slightly lower than mid-table in the Vanarama South. Went on an unbeaten run which lasted right up to the final day of the season, finishing one point outside of the playoff places.

Season 2: Won the VS and made the FA Trophy Semi Final

Season 3: Finished second in my first season in the Vanarama National, 20 points behind the winners. Lost in the playoff final at Wembley and lost in the final of the FA Trophy to the league winners

Season 4: Won the Vanarama National and the FA Trophy

Season 5: 15 games to go in League 2, sitting top of the table but only 2 points separate 1st to 8th. Very close season. Up to December was in flying form but hit a dip in about 15 games from early December to early March which included an 8 game losing streak, which included getting knocked out of the FA Cup to league rivals Doncaster in 3rd round. Also included home and away defeats to Spurs in the Semi Final of the EFL cup losing 7-0 on aggregate. Great run to get to the semis though, but had a lucky draw getting only one premiership team - West Ham, at home, which I won with an 89th minute goal (1-0). This cup run has earned the club a fortune.

Unfortunately I just lost my two best wingers to transfers where the Board stepping in. One to now Championship side Crysyal Palace for a total of 1m and one to Man City for a crappy £0.5m up front fee, but a possiblity of up to £20m in potential future fees.

In fairness to the Board, that transfer probably secures the long term financial future of the club, but puts my promotion chances for this season in grave difficulty.

Ivefoundgod

Just picked this up. Haven't really been able to get into the game much since 12 as I just found it had become too full of options and things to do I ended up losing interest.

Started out with Dortmund hoping to knock Bayern off the perch. Have had a very up and down season, i'm in 2nd 8 points behind and just ahead of about 5 teams. I've struggled badly in the CL despite a relatively easy group with Juve, Dynamo Kyiv and Viktoria Plizen. Again i'm 2nd but by no means guaranteed that spot with two games to go, on 7 points, kyiv on 4 and I've got Juve and Plizen away to come. Hopefully I get through but the performances have been woeful and can't see myself progressing past the next round.

The bigger issue i'm having is player management. I tried offloading Shinji Kagawa before the season which backfired with him getting the hump and sulking from the start of the season til now (mid november) where he's finally forgiven me. Emre Mor, an 18 year old prospect has also fallen out with me as he wanted more regular First team football. He's simply not good enough and nor have his performances when he has played. My squad has far too many AMCLRs at the moment and in a fit of anger I shipped him off to our B team to keep him away from the squad.

I'm playing a 4-2-3-1 but really struggling to get the best out of Aubamayeng. I expected him to my best player by some distance but instead I'm finding Dembele to be my star man, ably assisted my Schurrle and Gonzalo Castro. I'm playing him as DLF with Schurrle and Dembele playing off him which is a role that isn't suited to him. Am I better off switching his role to suit his abilities at the risk of diminishing the performances of my AML/Rs?

Having good fun with this all the same, its nice having a youthful squad and little money to improve while chasing Bayern.

StringerBell

It takes time for teams to gel and to become familiar with tactics, I find this is the biggest thing people overlook when going through a bad patch.

Hang in there

I remember a save where at the end of one season I was on a 14 game unbeaten run and in championship winning form, brought in 6 much higher quality players over the summer and lost my first 6 in a row the next season, badly, drew the next 2 and then started to find a bit of consistency. Didn't change tactics a whole lot, team just needs time to gel and can be heartbreakingly bad in the meantime!

StringerBell

Its happening again Another spell of awful form, won the league last year performing well above ourselves, upgraded the gk a cb a cm and a st over the summer, spine of the team. Currently without a win in 7! Losing 6

Paladonia

Would there be many in here interested in doing a network game?

I'm finding it difficult to stick with a save and that might help.

I'd be happy to set it up, start a new thread for it, etc if the interest was there.

Wilberto

Newry A.F.C.(ish) Season 2 :

Into my second full season at Newry, and the close season wasn't exactly fantastic. Our captain and most influential midfielder Chris McMahon was poached by a premier side (I don't begrudge him for moving up at all considering he's 25 and it was probably his last chance). I managed to sign a few midfielders to offer my some bit of depth in there. Then, McMahon's midfield replacement, left about a month later! Overall though, I managed to hold on to the majority of my players.

Into the season we go and despite losing our first match 3-1 at Banbridge, we went on to win the next seven league games, and took premier side (and cup holders) Glenavon to penalties in the league cup second round. We were trading top spot for a while with Portstewart who also started the season well. In the mean time, similar to last season, I was fighting off offers for my talented players, and constantly offering them new non-contract offers to ensure they stay.

This brought us up to mid November and we were ahead by a point (I think). Then, out of nowhere, my right back decides to jump ship to my closest rivals in Portstewart. What an @$$hole! Not to worry though. We have an ample replacement in a fella called Reece Neale who was already fighting with Wilson for that spot anyway. Plus, as long as I have my dynamic duo up top in Grainger and Wright (who "have great admiration for their manager") we've always got a chance.

The very next day, I was rushed to hospital with a puncture wound in my spine. William Wright (the *insert derogatory word here*) brutally and savagely stabbed me in the back by announcing he was joining Glebe Rovers who are a non-league tier four side (we're in the third tier (and top of it!)). We lost the next three games. That was it. I was done with Newry. Being betrayed by the very player you were trying to build a team around was just too much to bear. Into the Job Centre to look for vacancies and just applied for, well, everything.

Personally, I really wanted to get to a top tier club, which would only have been in Wales really, and there were two or three managerial adverts from Welsh clubs as well. Unfortunately, I didn't get any of them. I might have been interviewed by one of them but that was it. I was invited to a few interviews from non-league English clubs and eventually received and offer from North Ferriby. This was actually quite nostalgic as I had managed them fairly successfully in CM01/02!

I took over North Ferriby on the 3rd January 2019, who had just been relegated the previous season and, as such, had a lot of unhappy players wanting to leave. I promised them I'd sell them but didn't do anything until about a week left in the transfer window. Obviously, they weren't sold in this short time frame, but they didn't mind as they saw that I was at least trying. Ha!

The team was also on a terrible run of 9 league games without a win (and only 2 were draws). I managed to steady the ship and steer it solidly (if unspectacularly) to a 12th place finish. (one place outside the top half).

This may have been a bad idea to come here though as I don't know how this is going to help me complete my overall objective but sure, we'll play it by year I suppose. It might get me a top tier job in somewhere like Wales maybe (doubtful though!)


Trophy haul :
Country | Season | Trophy
Northern Ireland | 2017/18 | N.I. Intermediate Cup

A Brad Maddox Guy

Small update regarding my Dundalk youth team grown striker that I talked about HERE, I managed to fend off the Premiership & Championship teams that wanted him, he was unhappy but dropped his complaint before the season started and signed a new 3 year contract. He has since scored 11 goals in 4 league games including 3 first half hat-tricks in a row. I get the feeling he's too good for this league

castletownman

Third season at United seen me retain the PL title and get beat on penalties by Barca in the CL final. However, them feckers poached Pogba from me that January. My chief target Renato Sanches was being courted by Real Madrid, so signed Saul Niguez and Leon Goretza for a combined total considerably less than Sanches fee (I was recommended to sign the latter whatever the price by scouting department). Those two alongside Kimmich have formed a solid if unspectacular midfield duo in my system. Maybe five goals between the three of them and the odd assist.

Have secured the title once again anyway (after a thrilling 4-2 win at the Emirates ), and am due to play Bayern in the CL final. Griezmann, Icardi and Rashford must have 80+ goals between them, although I find Icardi frustrating in that he could score a brace one day and put back-to-back 6.2 performances in after that (Advanced Forward role). I plan on playing one more season before starting a new game in the lower leagues. Just looking for one more "oomph" of a signing this summer, either in midfield or on the right inside forward role. As things stand, I am currently playing Lozano slightly out of position on the right (with Mkhi as a solid back-up). Chelsea signed both Barbosa and Bernando Silva within the last year, and I don't think I can poach Malcolm from City either.

threein99

castletownman wrote: »

Third season at United seen me retain the PL title and get beat on penalties by Barca in the CL final. However, them feckers poached Pogba from me that January. My chief target Renato Sanches was being courted by Real Madrid, so signed Saul Niguez and Leon Goretza for a combined total considerably less than Sanches fee (I was recommended to sign the latter whatever the price by scouting department). Those two alongside Kimmich have formed a solid if unspectacular midfield duo in my system. Maybe five goals between the three of them and the odd assist.

Have secured the title once again anyway (after a thrilling 4-2 win at the Emirates ), and am due to play Bayern in the CL final. Griezmann, Icardi and Rashford must have 80+ goals between them, although I find Icardi frustrating in that he could score a brace one day and put back-to-back 6.2 performances in after that (Advanced Forward role). I plan on playing one more season before starting a new game in the lower leagues. Just looking for one more "oomph" of a signing this summer, either in midfield or on the right inside forward role. As things stand, I am currently playing Lozano slightly out of position on the right (with Mkhi as a solid back-up). Chelsea signed both Barbosa and Bernando Silva within the last year, and I don't think I can poach Malcolm from City either.

I found him that way too

SureYWouldntYa

threein99 wrote: »

I found him that way too

Dybala can do the same for me, has done for years in 2 seperate saves

Can only think they're made low if he's not scoring even if playing well, bit like full backs are almost always given high ratings

Mc Love

Ended up getting Man Utd, Barca & Steau Bucharest in my CL group. Walloped Steau away 4-0 but were beaten by Barca 3-0 at home, even though the stats were even enough, their keeper kept them in the game. Really need to bring up my rep as its only 3 stars and many players dont find it desirable enough yet to join.

The_Kew_Tour

Into year 2029 with Cork and still not gone better then last 16 of CL. Only won LOI by point to Dundalk.

I have 120m to spend. I think its time I spent some if it

threein99

Paladonia wrote: »

Would there be many in here interested in doing a network game?

I'm finding it difficult to stick with a save and that might help.

I'd be happy to set it up, start a new thread for it, etc if the interest was there.

I'd be interested in this. Haven't tried a network game in years. I found it really slow last time I tried with a couple of mates. Some lads play the game at a different pace.