Football Manager 2009 - Back to Management!

It's been some years since I last played Football Manager, but I really got the urge to play it again a few weeks ago when I found myself staring at my laptop bored. I used to play every version back when Peter Prospar (who!?) was the best player in the game!

The Football Manager 2009 version is certainly a lot more advanced than those versions from a few years ago. Some features are really like, and others are beginning to get on my nerves a little. For instance, when playing a match I don't want to have to look at an overview of the squads (separate page), then look at the formation layouts (separate page), then give a team talk (separate page), and that's after picking my team. It seems like a lot of continuous clicking just to get to the match screen.

I do however love the 3d match engine. It reminds me a bit of my sensible soccer days (on the Commodore 64 I think).

One of the biggest tasks I've come across when getting back into Football Manager is finding the real gems and fm wonderkids. The scouting for some of the smaller clubs is pretty poor so it can be a hard task finding players that are any good. Hey, that's like real life football though right? The best clubs can find the best players with their top scouts.

Here are a few players that I really like the look of a few years in with Reading:

Cahais:

Marquinhos:

Sneijder:

The lack of quality strikers (available to average teams) seems to be really limited. I fact, I get dragged into bidding £20+ million for strikers that are completely average, only to withdraw my bid when I compare them to the best players in the game.

My best buy so far has to have been Marquinhos. Willing to come to Reading in my first season in the Premiership for £16 million, and attracted a bid from Man United 6 months later for £32 million cash and 30% sell on clause. My waste of space board accepted the bid on behalf of me (thanks!), but I was able to cancel it on the confirmation screen. Needless to say, the player has been unhappy ever since!

Another player that's unhappy is my second best buy; Mahias Cahais. Incredible defender that has every major club wanting him. The problem is the big clubs bid, I turn them down, and the player is forever unhappy! Kind of like real life though I guess.

I'm starting to get a few job offers from larger clubs but they also seem to have inferior players and less transfer budget than I already have. I've decided to wait until the big four in the Premiership offer me a job before I leave.

A few other players in my Reading team include Sergio Asenjo (top goalkeeper), Falaini, Perieira, Monzon, Barbarainu, and Sneijder, but I'll struggle to hold on to them for long because they're all quality. I'm just hoping a big club offers me the job soon enough.

I'm thinking of putting together a page on this site where everyone can vote for the top players, provide screenshots, etc. What do you think? Leave me a comment if you will.