I hate FM 2005

[Flame Eater]

I love the Scottish leagues. You can get into some really heated "wars" with the other managers; with the leagues so small you get to know everyone.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by SunDancer

Yeap...Just curious how they got that way? Did the Rangers and Celtics have an extremely rich owner to start with, and just been able to maintain the success (having more revenues-continuing the success and stream of revenue)?

Their being located in Glasgow probably has a lot to do with. I think Glasgow is the most populated city in Scotland, so it makes sense that the biggest football teams would come from there. The population of Glasgow has dropped nearly 100% since the 60s, which could help explain why the teams have had so much financial trouble lately. I believe one of the reasons the old firm are so popular is because they represent Protestants (Rangers) v. Catholics (Celtic).

[Critch]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

Their being located in Glasgow probably has a lot to do with. I think Glasgow is the most populated city in Scotland, so it makes sense that the biggest football teams would come from there. The population of Glasgow has dropped nearly 100% since the 60s, which could help explain why the teams have had so much financial trouble lately. I believe one of the reasons the old firm are so popular is because they represent Protestants (Rangers) v. Catholics (Celtic).

Glasgow is still the highest populated city in Scotland, it's more than twice as big as Edinburgh. The Glasgow population hasn't really dropped (certainly not by 100% anyway ), just people have moved outside the city boundaries to the suburbs and surrounding towns. That's what my family did.

Rangers and Celtic have always had bigger supports than the other teams in Scotland, they're both averaging around 50k for each home match, where the next biggest (Hearts and Aberdeen, maybe Hibs) average around 14k if they're doing ok. The bigger following translates into far bigger merchandizing and a bigger share of the tv money. Add in that the majority of the clubs in Scotland are in financial trouble (Rangers and Celtic are both in huge debt themselves, though they're both able to tick over ok for the moment) and there's nobody to challenge them.

In the mid-80's Rangers were in a very unsuccessful period (for them) but had built themselves a new stadium and were poised to start using their cash. They brought in Graeme Souness as player-manager and took advantage of the fact that English clubs were banned from European competition to lure top English players into the Scottish league (until then Rangers and Celtic players were overwhelmingly Scottish with the odd Scandanavian or UK/Irish player thrown in). Souness arrived as manager at the start of the 86/87 season and Rangers won 12 of the next 14 championships. Celtic took a bit of time catching up as they were privately owned by a couple of families who were quite happy making their cash and not taking risks. Eventually Celtic got rid of the families, flirted with bankruptcy for a bit, then started using their financial power too. And that's how we ended up with Rangers and Celtic sharing the last 19 championships between them (Rangers 13, Celtic 6).

The situation really isn't that different from a lot of other smaller European nations. In Portugal the big three (Benfica, Sporting and Porto) have won all but 2 of the championships since WWII. In Greece the big three (Olympiakos, Panathinaikos, AEK) have won all but 3 of the championships since WWII. In the Netherlands the big three (PSV, Ajax and Feyenoord) have only failed to win the championship twice since the 50's. In Norway it's only a one team race, Rosenborg have won 13 championships in a row.

[SunDancer]

Didn't Ajax have a crazy tatic and style of football in the 80's, winning everything well doing it?

[ISiddiqui]

The Ajax tactic I'm familiar with is Total Football, where every one was expected to be able to play every position, based on what was going on in the game (so if the defender made a forward run, the winger became the defender and the defender was the new winger). That sort of thing. Is that what you are talking about?

[Desnudo]

I just had my greatest CM/FM moment. Playing as Norwich in the 09/10 season, first place in the EPL comes down to last weekend of the season. We're in 1st, tied with Liverpool on points with 89 apiece, but way ahead on goal differential. Norwich is away against already-relegated Middlesbrough, while the Reds face a tough road challenge at Old Trafford.

Things are looking good until Boro actually decide to show up and play their match like it was the first of the season. The title dream looks at risk as the game is tied, 1-1, going into three minutes of extra time. With 30 seconds remaining in ET, Lebohang Mokoena is pulled down in the box, penalty on Boro! With the evil AI, I'm not holding out much hope that he'll convert as Mokoena begins the run-up, but wham, in goes the ball and Norwich are champions on a last minute penalty! Unbelievable stuff.

[ice4277]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I just had my greatest CM/FM moment. Playing as Norwich in the 09/10 season, first place in the EPL comes down to last weekend of the season. We're in 1st, tied with Liverpool on points with 89 apiece, but way ahead on goal differential. Norwich is away against already-relegated Middlesbrough, while the Reds face a tough road challenge at Old Trafford.

Things are looking good until Boro actually decide to show up and play their match like it was the first of the season. The title dream looks at risk as the game is tied, 1-1, going into three minutes of extra time. With 30 seconds remaining in ET, Lebohang Mokoena is pulled down in the box, penalty on Boro! With the evil AI, I'm not holding out much hope that he'll convert as Mokoena begins the run-up, but wham, in goes the ball and Norwich are champions on a last minute penalty! Unbelievable stuff.

Congrats! That is an incredible feeling to win a title like that; I had the exact opposite happen on an old game of FM and it left me depressed for about a week. Just curious, did you start the game with Norwich or take them over at some point?

[Desnudo]

Thank you. I started the game with them. I had finished second in 08/09, but it wasn't all that close. It's amazing how many more ups and downs there are in FM. It's a lot harder to win consistently than in previous versions.

[FrogMan]

Congrat Desnudo!

I wanna add on this though:

Originally Posted by ice4277

Congrats! That is an incredible feeling to win a title like that; I had the exact opposite happen on an old game of FM and it left me depressed for about a week. Just curious, did you start the game with Norwich or take them over at some point?

something similar happened to me when I got sacked by Luton, I mean being depressed about it. Dang, took me a week to get over it. This game feels like real life, it's just amazing...

FM

[Anthony]

wow...i finally got around to playing a match last nite, and that fucking 2D engine rocks! it's sick. i can really see myself staying up late to play the game.

question: i started as a Div. 2 English team (Lincoln City) - so i'm in February and my first real game is in August - what am i supposed to do with all that time? schedule an endless amount of friendlies? or go on holiday for several months?

and during the offseason what kind of training should my players be on?

[SirFozzie]

HA: When you start a game you're given a choice of when to start the game (England starts in July 2004, USA (I bet you chose that as default) is Feb2004.

[vyshka]

I just won the Conference South with Cambridge City this morning.
At the beginning of February was 5 points clear of 2nd place Sutton Utd.
Then team went on slide going until mid March without a win, luckily grinding
out quite a few draws and only a couple losses. Had dropped to 3rd. Had a
slew of strikers injured in this period, and couldn't find anyone who wanted to
come on loan, so switched from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1 and went on a 5 game win
streak to close out the season and take 1st by 2 points. With 2 games left,
I was in 2nd place and 4 points behind Grays. They lost and I won closing to
1 point. They finished the season against #4 Havant and W and I was playing
relegated Redbridge. I went up 2 - 0 in the first 13 minutes, and Havant
managed to go into halftime up 2 - 0. In the 2nd half Grays managed to
equalize, but Havant managed to get a 3rd goal and win the match ensuring
my winning the Conf South. 1st time I have managed to get promoted in
CM or FM. Someday I will manage to get Limerick FC promoted from the Irish
1st Division. What a ride! Yesterday I was all happy with the way things were
going. Then last night the slide in form hit along with the injuries to almost all
of my strikers, and I was bumming big time. Then to end up coming back to
grab the conference in the final game of the season was awesome.

Unfortunately no transfer budget, so I could very well be back in Conf South
after this next season.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

HA: When you start a game you're given a choice of when to start the game (England starts in July 2004, USA (I bet you chose that as default) is Feb2004.

rats...

ok, so i'm in February, which brings me back to the original question - do i go on holiday or is there something i should be doing for several months?

[SirFozzie]

I'd go on holiday.. It's no FUN to play games that don't count

[scooter]

HA: You may want to start your game over as it sounds like your game is confused. In February, Div 2 teams should have a full schedule of games to be playing (they are about 3/4 of the way through their season at that point). If you don't have games scheduled, your game is not going to play correctly. Check out some Div 1 and Prem teams and see if they have games going on. If you are the only one without games something is wrong.

[SirFozzie]

scooter: When you start in Feb 2004, all england is shhut down until july, because 2004 results are hardcoded into the system

[scooter]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

scooter: When you start in Feb 2004, all england is shhut down until july, because 2004 results are hardcoded into the system

I understand that, but it means that all the players on your team age an entire season without the benefits of playing for that year. Doesn't sound like fun to me.

I've started games in past versions with slightly different start dates (German start date (June) for an English career) in order to get a little more pre-season time, but I've never missed a quarter of a season to that issue. If it were me, I'd just start over.

[vyshka]

I think Fozzie is right. When you create a new game the US is chosen and the first league chosen's start date is the start date unless you set it
differently. Since the English leagues don't start up until August 2004 in FM there is nothing going on at this point except in the USA, IRL, Russia, and
possibly South American leagues.

I agree with starting over and getting the start date right, which should be
July 2004 for England.

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by scooter

I've started games in past versions with slightly different start dates (German start date (June) for an English career) in order to get a little more pre-season time, but I've never missed a quarter of a season to that issue. If it were me, I'd just start over.

In CM/FM age is done by date of birth, so not sure how this could be an issue.

[scooter]

I guess I was confused by the date of his game - I thought he was in Feb 2005 and had lost the first 3/4 of a season. I now understand that he was talking about Feb 2004. Don't worry about me, it was 7am here when I first posted and I had just gotten up - not thinking straight yet

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

Congrat Desnudo!

I wanna add on this though:


something similar happened to me when I got sacked by Luton, I mean being depressed about it. Dang, took me a week to get over it. This game feels like real life, it's just amazing...

FM

Thanks Froggy. I know what you mean about getting depressed. Three matches before the finale, we had gotten plastered away against newly-promoted Leicester to let Liverpool back in the race in the first place. At that point, with two matches left for them and three for me, I was four points behind. They'd won something like 10 matches in a row and didn't look like losing, so I was really upset.

You keep telling yourself it's a game, but we'd been in first nearly the whole season and now we'd lose the title because of Leicester? Fortunately, a Liverpool tie let us back into the next match or else I might have needed a new keyboard.

[SunDancer]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

Congrat Desnudo!

I wanna add on this though:


something similar happened to me when I got sacked by Luton, I mean being depressed about it. Dang, took me a week to get over it. This game feels like real life, it's just amazing...

FM

LOL...I can see your the dinner conversation between you and your young song who always ask about how your doing:

"Daddy, how are you doing with the orange team?"
"Well son, I got fired."
"Fired? You don't have a job anymore?"
"No son, but I sent out applications for a new one. Until then, we'll be just having bread and peas for dinner. Money will be tight".



I was born in 1984, but the game doesn't go below the age of 31 when I am announced as the new coach. Is this a bug, that is fixed in the patches?

[ice4277]

Originally Posted by SunDancer

I was born in 1984, but the game doesn't go below the age of 31 when I am announced as the new coach. Is this a bug, that is fixed in the patches?

I believe it is set up this way on purpose; generally speaking, it would be pretty unrealistic for a 21 or 22 year old to take over as manager, so they bump to age up to a more realistic starting point.

[vyshka]

It has always bumped the starting age to 31 if you are younger.

[Ajaxab]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

I just had my greatest CM/FM moment. Playing as Norwich in the 09/10 season, first place in the EPL comes down to last weekend of the season. We're in 1st, tied with Liverpool on points with 89 apiece, but way ahead on goal differential. Norwich is away against already-relegated Middlesbrough, while the Reds face a tough road challenge at Old Trafford.

Things are looking good until Boro actually decide to show up and play their match like it was the first of the season. The title dream looks at risk as the game is tied, 1-1, going into three minutes of extra time. With 30 seconds remaining in ET, Lebohang Mokoena is pulled down in the box, penalty on Boro! With the evil AI, I'm not holding out much hope that he'll convert as Mokoena begins the run-up, but wham, in goes the ball and Norwich are champions on a last minute penalty! Unbelievable stuff.

I just had one of these great moments today with my Stirling Albion squad in Scotland's Div.1 in 2009/10. The odds of us winning the division were 16-1 at the beginning of the year, but somehow we found ourselves in contention throughout most of the season. So the title race comes down to us, Kilmarnock and Falkirk separated by three points just before the last game. We're on 61 pts, Killie are on 61 and Falkirk are on 59. We have a 2 goal edge on Killie on goal difference so we have a slight advantage. It's us against 8th place Ross Country, Kilmarnock have 5th place St.Mirren and Falkirk have 4th place Hamilton Academicals (love that name). I guess my team is fired up to start the game as we jump out to a 3-0 first half lead. But Ross County storm back with two goals, one to end the first half and one to open the second making the score 3-2. I'm starting to get nervous. When I check the other scores, St.Mirren is helping us out by taking a 2-0 lead on Killie, but Falkirk and Hamilton are knotted at 0-0. We still need to make sure we win this game. Midway through the second half, we scratch out another goal to make it 4-2, but in the 80th Ross County score again to cut it to 4-3. A harrowing 10 minutes later, the game is over and I need to check the scores to see how things have turned out. No changes on the other scores! We're champions! The fans declare me a magician for orchestrating this success.

It's off to the Scottish Prem now. I don't know how we'll survive, but we just have to beat one team this season to stave off relegation. It's still a real chore to attract players though. My ultimate goal is to break the Old Firm.

[SunDancer]

I uploaded the game on my mom's laptop (it's alittle faster), but just playing around still.

I took over AS Monaco, with a budget of about E18.5 million to use.

How do you guys play the transfer market? What are the positives and negatives of "declaring your interest" as oppose to just making an offer directly?

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by SunDancer

How do you guys play the transfer market? What are the positives and negatives of "declaring your interest" as oppose to just making an offer directly?

I've declared my interest a few times in the past. Sometimes, it'll help you know if your fans think the player could be god for your team, and sometimes, you can get reactions from a player on your team that gets unsettled at the thought that you could be trying to replace him.

Watch out though, if you declare your interest too much, your board may tell you to slack a little, and other teams may get tired of it, since your declaring goes on the media and may cause some of their players to become unsettled...

FM

[SunDancer]

Originally Posted by SunDancer

I uploaded the game on my mom's laptop (it's alittle faster), but just playing around still.

I took over AS Monaco, with a budget of about E18.5 million to use.

How do you guys play the transfer market? What are the positives and negatives of "declaring your interest" as oppose to just making an offer directly?

Oh man...4 games into the season, 2 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw. Sitting tied for 6th in the First League (league co-favorites Paris) is sitting in 15th. Went on to a 6-1 avegrrated goal win over some semi-pro club from Cyprus in the 3rd round to advance to the Champions League group stage. Got Ajax, Werder Bremen, and Sparta Prague to deal with. One group has Arsenal, Inter, Celtic, and Leverkusen.

Addictive it is. My transfer deals included selling defender Juan Rodriquez for E3 million to league rival Lille), and begain my slow transformation of the midfield on back with the purchases of midfielder 24-year-old Martin Retov (Denmark native who played with Belgium's Brondby) for E1.9 million and wonderkid 18-year-old Vincent Kompany, a defender/defensive midfielder, from Belgium's Anderlecht club for a E8.5 million price tag. I need to improve badly the defensive land, and Beligan Kompany looks like he'll be a real star, and an instant No. 1 defender. Anderlecht fans were outrage at him being sold.

The striker/foward position is unreal. We got E31 million dollar value man Javier Savida on loan for the entire season from FC Barcelona, at no cost to us. Then, we got 24-year-old Uruguary star Javir Erneso Chevanton (E10.5 million value), who has not played due to a 2-month injury. The star has been 20-year-old Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayer (value has risen to E8.5 million since the beginning of the year). The Togo national teamer has scored about 5 goals I believe so far in French league play, and kick butt in the friendlies and cup matches. Souleymane Camara is No. 4 striker, who I just signed to a new, long-term deal. The 21-year-old Senegal native can play, but I don't think he has all the tools to be a every-day starter.

I've flirted with Eddie Pope, Tim Howard, and a Czech Republic standout (both on the team on his Czech league team), but all failed miserably in getting any real deals up until my two signings. I have just a hair over E11 million dollars left in my budget, and I may look at going after Dovonan from Bayer once he returns from loan (with San Jose) and is eligble to transfer in January. I need a young, playmaking star midfielder, and to continue the talent retooling and upgrading. Camara could be someone I may sell, or maybe offer, to help get him. I suspect a price tag of around E12-14 million for Dovonan if we decide to make a move on him.

This game rocks! Hope the royal family can be proud.

[Desnudo]

So when is your mom going to get her laptop back?

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

I just had one of these great moments today with my Stirling Albion squad in Scotland's Div.1 in 2009/10. The odds of us winning the division were 16-1 at the beginning of the year, but somehow we found ourselves in contention throughout most of the season. So the title race comes down to us, Kilmarnock and Falkirk separated by three points just before the last game. We're on 61 pts, Killie are on 61 and Falkirk are on 59. We have a 2 goal edge on Killie on goal difference so we have a slight advantage. It's us against 8th place Ross Country, Kilmarnock have 5th place St.Mirren and Falkirk have 4th place Hamilton Academicals (love that name). I guess my team is fired up to start the game as we jump out to a 3-0 first half lead. But Ross County storm back with two goals, one to end the first half and one to open the second making the score 3-2. I'm starting to get nervous. When I check the other scores, St.Mirren is helping us out by taking a 2-0 lead on Killie, but Falkirk and Hamilton are knotted at 0-0. We still need to make sure we win this game. Midway through the second half, we scratch out another goal to make it 4-2, but in the 80th Ross County score again to cut it to 4-3. A harrowing 10 minutes later, the game is over and I need to check the scores to see how things have turned out. No changes on the other scores! We're champions! The fans declare me a magician for orchestrating this success.

It's off to the Scottish Prem now. I don't know how we'll survive, but we just have to beat one team this season to stave off relegation. It's still a real chore to attract players though. My ultimate goal is to break the Old Firm.

Congrats and good luck! I've always thought the SPL is a big challenge outside of the Old Firm due to the mediocre league rep and bad finances.

[Flasch186]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

Congrats and good luck! I've always thought the SPL is a big challenge outside of the Old Firm due to the mediocre league rep and bad finances.

a forecast of how youll survive from my promotion with Vikiingt.....relegation.

[SunDancer]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

So when is your mom going to get her laptop back?

LOL...It's actually her work notebook (so it not really hers, but she can bring it home, ect). I get to play with it at night. But I had to take it off today, she can't have personal programs on it. My laptop should ship by Friday.

[SunDevil]

SunDancer,

You might want to change the title of this thread, very misleading.

[SunDancer]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

SunDancer,

You might want to change the title of this thread, very misleading.

You serious? I was a joking.

[SunDevil]

Nope not serious, just thought you should change the title.

[illinifan999]

Wow every year when the ECC group stage comes up, I make a note of the hardest groups. I just got drawn into the hardest one I've ever seen in my game with Marseille. Inter, Barcelona, and Liverpool. And we were the ECC Runner-Ups last year. Wow, this one'll be interesting.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by illinifan999

Wow every year when the ECC group stage comes up, I make a note of the hardest groups. I just got drawn into the hardest one I've ever seen in my game with Marseille. Inter, Barcelona, and Liverpool. And we were the ECC Runner-Ups last year. Wow, this one'll be interesting.

That sounds like a very tough group. Good luck.

[SunDancer]

How are groups decided? I never understood the "seeds".

[illinifan999]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

That sounds like a very tough group. Good luck.

And Barcelona and Liverpool have been made co-favorites to win the ECC.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by SunDancer

How are groups decided? I never understood the "seeds".

It looks to me like final league position decides your seed. The groups are decided in a draw.

[3ric]

Just wanted to post a link to a thread in the Tactics forum at sigames.com, great stuff. Some of you might already have seen it, but I don't think the link has been posted before...
http://community.sigames.com/eve/ubb...7/m/5792025701

[tanglewood]

Originally Posted by SunDancer

How are groups decided? I never understood the "seeds".

Teams are seeded based on which league they come from and where they finished in that league last year. The groups are then randomly drawn, with two seeds and two non-seeds.

[SunDancer]

Originally Posted by tanglewood

Teams are seeded based on which league they come from and where they finished in that league last year. The groups are then randomly drawn, with two seeds and two non-seeds.

Thanks. Who gets the seeds, the highest rated teams in the co-effecient rankings? What's the advantage of being seeded? So, basically, the seeded teams that are put into one basket, and the non-seeded teams are put into another, and they draw 2 seeded teams and 2 non-seeded teams for each group? Any restrictions on inter-country matchups in the group stage (I know they have them for the first two rounds of the knockout stage)?