Football Manager 2015 - The Official Thread

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Update on Burgess Hill. Halfway through season 3 and we 7pts clear in League 2.

Favourite player name of all time in this year's team - Lucky Nnanna !?!

 

[Whitechapel]

Finally got a new laptop which allows me to play the more recent FM games, so I've started a game on 2014 with Brighton.

About to start the 2014/15 season. Can't wait, hoping to pick up some players from Villa, West Brom & Southampton who all went down last season.

2014/2015:​

Tactics:

My main formation stayed with the 4-3-3/45-1 that lead us to the Championship title the season before. However the focus was changed during the season to change the team from a passing, controlling style of play to a more counter-attacking, direct style of play which suited the squad I had assembled. However, the bulk of the tactic remained the same In Midfield there was still a triangle made up of a DM who would be an Anchorman/Regista and two CM's, one of which would be a Box-to-Box destroyer and the other would be an deep lying playmaker who would support the attacking players.

The Back-Up formation I'd be using is a 4-2-3-1, with a Defensive Midfielder and a Central Midfielder making up the two and a Trequartista and two Inside Forwards sitting just behind the striker. This would be truthful to how we played last season with short passes and trying to retain possession

Transfers:
Main goal here was to sprinkle my team with talented players who would help keep us up whilst still keeping the core of the squad from last year together. Had about £15,000,000 to spend so it wasn't a case of bargain basement signings for me!

In (Summer)
Gabriel Agbonlahor - Broke our record fee to bring in the Speedy Villa forward. Cost £5,000,000 but perfect for an Inside Forward role.
Ben Foster - New first team keeper, and a SNIP at £1,200,000.
Steven Davis - 29 year old AM from Southampton. Cost less than £2,000,000. Brought in to be a creative spark in midfield
Seb Larsson - 29 Year old RB/RM signed as a free agent.

Others - Declan Rudd, (24, GK, Free), Fabian Johnson (27, LB, Free) Marcos Alonso (24, LB, £2M), Joel Campbell (23, RM, Loan), Inigo Perez (26, CM, 400k), Mario Yepes (37, CB, Free), Bruno Pereirinha (26, RM, Loan) & 6 youth players.


Out (Summer)
Kemy Agustein - Sold to AZ for £3,200,000. Davis & Ben Foster for Kemy? As good as he is on here, I'm not going to argue with that.
Inigo Calderon - Turned down an offer and signed on a free for Sporting Gijon
Tomasz Kuszczak Life Calderon turned down a new contract offer to go home. Signed for Liga Warsaw
Jake Forster-Caskey - Loaned to Hearts. Obviously has potential but not quite up to scratch yet. Also offered him a new Contract
Craig Mackail-Smith Loaned to Rangers. Given him a season to prove his worth.

Others - Brezovan & a host of youth players (Released), 11 others loaned out (Including Masip to Arsenal, Walton to Dagenham & Goodwin to Exeter) & Jeffrey Monakana to Yeovil for 300k.


In (January)
Gael Kakuta - 300k from Chelsea. Signed him with the goal of selling him on in a couple of seasons for a profit.



Premier League:
A bit of a weird season, started on fire, looking like we could push a serious fight for the top 6 and then we crumbled, losing a tonne of games in a row and finding ourselves in a relegation battle. The low point being a 9 game streak where we picked up 1 point, a run which included losing 3-0 at home to Hull and throwing away a 2 goal lead against Liverpool to lose 5-2. This left us 4 points above the relegation zone with 6 games to go. However, a late turnaround against Norwich (79th minute equaliser & 88th minute winner) catapulted us to picking up 10 points from our last 6 games, leaving us on 44 points, 8 clearly of Norwich in 18th. We finished the season with a record of

Played: 38
Won: 13
Drew: 5
Lost: 20
For: 50
Against: 71 (Most of a non-relegated team)

Our Key players were:


Leonardo Ulloa: Handled the step-up in quality brilliantly. Score 16 goals in 33 games.
Will Buckley: Has taken to the Prem excellently 8 goals and 9 assists is a solid return.
Gabby Agbonlahor: A 5 month injury meant he only played 20 games, but 4 goals and 6 assists was a decent effort considering.


Carling Cup:

Got to the 4th round of the Cup, beating MK Dons & Rotherham along the way before losing 11-10 on penalties to Leicester. Frustrating as they had a man sent off and the game obviously doesn't have the proper rules for this, meaning our 11th penalty taker lost after their First Player scored his 2nd penalty. Gutted.


FA Cup:
Drew with Doncaster in the 3rd round, before winning a replay. Then managed to draw with Swansea before... losing the replay. Extra games for nothing. Pissed me off.


Coming up the start of the 2015/16 season. Done quite well in the transfer market, main signings so far have been Eric Dier, Nathan Redmond as well as a host of people who were nearing the end of their contracts, including Joao Teixeira. Also signed Phil Kellett, a Regan from Crewe. 16 years old CM who I agreed a £3,000,000 deal with last summer. 5* potential, 2* current ability. Been likened to Iniesta and Wiltshire, high hopes for him!​

 

[jcdenton08]

Won FA Cup two seasons in a row, last season Euro Cup semi finalist and finished third. This season finished second (was top all season until last four games, grrrrr!!!), retained the FA Cup and won the Champions League. Bored of it now so think I'll call it a day for this edition.

 

[Seagull1989]

Only just got this a few weeks back. Played all the previous FM but dont like the layout of this one. I'm sure itll just take a bit of getting used to

I've been stupid too and loaned Bechio but he cant play for more than 2 clubs in a season. There doesn't appear to be any terminate loan option. Im paying 7.5k per week and he's ineligible! Anyone know if its possible to terminate loans

 

[Withdean11]

My long running save in which I started unemployed with no experience or badges is still going. In to 2021 now. Sitting 2nd in the championship with MK dons. I really believe we can get promoted this year. Before the start of the season I was offered interviews with Hull and Newcastle both in the Prem but turned them down as I want to take MK Dons up. A career managing Hyde, Bomley and MK dons and i'm finally on the verge of the Premier League.

 

[The_Viper]

Waiting for the .3 patch.

 

[Rohana]

2014/2015:​

Premier League:
A bit of a weird season, started on fire, looking like we could push a serious fight for the top 6 and then we crumbled, losing a tonne of games in a row and finding ourselves in a relegation battle. The low point being a 9 game streak where we picked up 1 point, a run which included losing 3-0 at home to Hull and throwing away a 2 goal lead against Liverpool to lose 5-2. This left us 4 points above the relegation zone with 6 games to go. However, a late turnaround against Norwich (79th minute equaliser & 88th minute winner) catapulted us to picking up 10 points from our last 6 games, leaving us on 44 points, 8 clearly of Norwich in 18th. We finished the season with a record of

Played: 38
Won: 13
Drew: 5
Lost: 20
For: 50
Against: 71 (Most of a non-relegated team)

Our Key players were:


Leonardo Ulloa: Handled the step-up in quality brilliantly. Score 16 goals in 33 games.
Will Buckley: Has taken to the Prem excellently 8 goals and 9 assists is a solid return.
Gabby Agbonlahor: A 5 month injury meant he only played 20 games, but 4 goals and 6 assists was a decent effort considering.


Carling Cup:

Got to the 4th round of the Cup, beating MK Dons & Rotherham along the way before losing 11-10 on penalties to Leicester. Frustrating as they had a man sent off and the game obviously doesn't have the proper rules for this, meaning our 11th penalty taker lost after their First Player scored his 2nd penalty. Gutted.


FA Cup:
Drew with Doncaster in the 3rd round, before winning a replay. Then managed to draw with Swansea before... losing the replay. Extra games for nothing. Pissed me off.


Coming up the start of the 2015/16 season. Done quite well in the transfer market, main signings so far have been Eric Dier, Nathan Redmond as well as a host of people who were nearing the end of their contracts, including Joao Teixeira. Also signed Phil Kellett, a Regan from Crewe. 16 years old CM who I agreed a £3,000,000 deal with last summer. 5* potential, 2* current ability. Been likened to Iniesta and Wiltshire, high hopes for him!​

Finished the 2015/16 season in 12th again. Halfway through the 2016/2017 season and things are looking good, currently 10th in the Premier League. Current team is:

The RB is a a Regen, cost me £1,000,000 when he was 15. Not my best RB but made him first choice to help him reach his potential. Current;y trying to up his crossing and dribbling as his Pace/Stamina make him perfect for a Wing-Back.

Also got a few other decent youth prospects with bright futures ahead of them

Cost me a tad over £2,000,000 in the summer. 10 goals in 18 games for my U-18's.

-------

£3,000,000 from Crewe. Will be in the first team squad next year, even though he's yet to really perform when out on loan.

 

[shaolinpunk]

I finally started a new game using the post-transfer window update last night.

In five games, Kayal has scored three times and been sent off twice.

 

[Box of Frogs]

Football Manager Classic 2015 out today on iOS and Android

Basically the PC version for tablets rather than the cut down handheld version.

Hussah!!

http://www.footballmanager.com/content/football-manager-classic-2015

 

[Withdean11]

My long running save in which I started unemployed with no experience or badges is still going. In to 2021 now. Sitting 2nd in the championship with MK dons. I really believe we can get promoted this year. Before the start of the season I was offered interviews with Hull and Newcastle both in the Prem but turned them down as I want to take MK Dons up. A career managing Hyde, Bomley and MK dons and i'm finally on the verge of the Premier League.

Following on...

I took MK dons up and had a fairly decent first season in the prem finishing 15th. My success had been noticed throughout the 'game' as I had offers at the end of the season from West Ham who finished 14th, and Celtic, who had had the worst season since the start of game dropping down to 5th in the SPL. Recognising I had more chance of European football, I took the role at Celtic.

It was clear a clear out was required, so wasted no time selling players trying to raise some funds, even if the fans were not too happy about the players I was selling. Managed to sign 3 players from my MK dons team; Arjan Postma (re-gen), a 20 year old dutch advanced playmaker who was unbelievable in the championship but had so far failed to make much impact in the prem. Niek Geerts (re-gen), a 17 year old left winger who I had signed as a youth player for MK dons and had not yet made an appearance, had planned for him to be a back up player. And Harry Cardwell, striker, who ironically I signed from Celtic at the start of my promotion season. A few other additions and my squad was complete.

Anyway, 2 years on, and 2 fantastic seasons wining the league both times, the League Cup and Scottish Cup in my latest season, and going out in the knock out stage of the champions league to Barcelona after beating them 3-2 at home in the first leg. My 3 signings from MK Dons are my 3 best players.

Season has just ended, and I made the decision to resign, resulting in interviews from Tottenham, and Newcastle which I have turned down as I chase bigger things. Both Chelsea and PSG's managers faced 'Very Insecure' futures so I put my name in the hat but both have responded and decided to back their current manager. So still unemployed and nothing much out there. May have to wait for the first casualties once the season starts.

 

[BBassic]

I'd had some time away from FM and then I found this brilliant little series via Twitter:

http://thesetpieces.com/features/football-manager-meets-moneyball-pt-1/

Am now attempting my own moneyball challenge with FC Energie Cottbus, German third division and the addiction has begun all over again.

 

[BBassic]

Had this the other day:



It's brilliant when it happens. Get hammered by a team and still come out on top, or as I've come to call it, The Derby Principle.

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

I'm currently in my 3rd season with Newcastle, I am only allowed buy one 18+ player per transfer window and unlimited players aged 17 or under.

Finished first season second (on GD with 1st placed Chelsea) finished 6th in 2nd Season but reached Semi Final of Champions League. Currently 2nd in Premier League.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

My long term save now has me managing my Port Vale team in the PL, following consecutive promotions all the way from League 2 (with a JPT thrown in).

Annoyingly, none of these were as a result of actually winning a league, instead they were achieved via a flukey playoff win, a playoff cakewalk and a last day 2nd place in the Championship where I was promoted on goals scored, which I can honestly say has never happened to me in FM before.

I'm now sitting in 8th place after 16 games and looking good to avoid relegation, which is my sole aim.

As I've kept a lot of the squad from the L1 season my wage bill when I got to the promised land was stupidly low (my star striker was on 2.8k a week until recently), so the club is now sitting on a balance of something like 20m, with another 30m or so in tv money to be received.

I've been offered interviews elsewhere which I've either declined due to lack of interest or attended solely to secure a better contract at Vale and a new training ground (it actually worked as well!).

Long term, I'm hoping to keep Vale up and establish them as a safe team, then plough as much as possible into the infrastructure.

Oh, I was also offered the USA job, which I accepted.

Edit; Prior to Vale I've managed Macclesfield, a Brazilan 3rd division team, a Norwegian 2nd division team (who I did win a league with), Holland under 19's and Tunisia.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Managing Liverpool and Spain in 2019-20, won 3 Champions Leagues, 4 Premier Leagues, 3 Fa Cups, 3 League Cups, 2 European Super Cups, 2 Club World Championships and 2 Community Shields. I feel like I'm cheating playing with a team already in the top 6 and doing ok financially but I fancied building an insane team without having to be a pauper for a few years going through the leagues etc.. Apparently my finances are 'okay', yet I've spent £95 million on Memphis Depay (£45 million) and two teenage regens this transfer window and still have a bit left.

Playing a 4-1-2-3 with:

GK- Insane Mexican regen

RB- Danilo
CB- Niklas Sule
CB- Samuel Umtiti
LB- Alberto Moreno

DM- Lucas Romero

CM- Jordan Henderson
CM- Kevin Strootman

RW- Raheem Sterling/Andriy Yarmolenko
LW- Suso/Memphis Depay
ST- Daniel Sturridge/Richairo Zivkovic/Ezequiel Ponce

Won literally everything last season bar the Community Shield. It should be boring by now, but it's not.

Only been at Spain for one year but we're smashing everyone out of sight in Euro qualification.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

I'm considering creating a database where every player in Britain starts as a free agent, meaning that it'd be a mad scramble at the start to get some good 'uns tied down.

Anyone else think it sounds fun?

 

[BBassic]

Despite the odd baffling result (a creditable 3-3 away at Arsenal and a quite incredible 3-0 hammering of Man City at the Amex) my team has largely spent the first season and a half of life in the PL struggling around the relegation zone.

Last season I managed to heckle the team into pulling off a series of wins in the final 10 games which ensured safety, whilst also condemning Palace to relegation, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to pull it off this season.

 

[shaolinpunk]

I'm considering creating a database where every player in Britain starts as a free agent, meaning that it'd be a mad scramble at the start to get some good 'uns tied down.

Anyone else think it sounds fun?

If you search for 'free agent' on the Steam workshop there are already some databases like that out there.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

If you search for 'free agent' on the Steam workshop there are already some databases like that out there.

Well that's both awesome and a little sad, was looking forward to messing about.

Aside from making my traditional 'Lancing FC' database I've not touched it this year. I might see what Albion/Sussex based weirdness I can achieve instead, maybe resurrect the careers of Oatway, Cullip et al.

Edit; Or an NSC FC, though that would require at least 11 people that would want to be in it.

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

Just won the League Cup after this thriller.... realistic much?