Football Manager 2023

[Hobo]

i've been playing my FM16 game again for the first time in a while. Somehow I'm 10 seasons into this!

Greenock Morton are challening for the SPL title because they've been taken over by a Tycoon. While Steven Gerrard's Brentford are 3rd in the Premier League.

Some notes about whose in the Airtricty Premier League now:

Athlone Town: Caoimhin Kelleher (although this is FM16)

Bohemians: Justin Kluivert, Jordan Ayew, Anthony Knockaert, James McCarthy, Matt Doherty.

Bray Wanderers: Solomon Rondon, Jonjo Shelvey,  Albin Ekdal,

Cork City: Dan James, Pascal Groß, Danny Welbeck, Lewis Holtby, Rob Holding

Dundalk: Hal Robson Kanu

Galway Utd: Conor Hourihane, Steven N'Zonzi, Declan Rice (although this was FM216 so he's Irish and not very good)

Limerick: Alex Pitchard, Leigh Griffiths, Caleb Clarke,

Shamrock Rovers: Keiran Trippier, Joe Allen, Ryan Shawcross, Conor Wickham, and recently sold Luca Zidane to Porto.

St Patrick's Athletic: Frasier Forster, Andi Weimann, 

Waterford Utd: Ki Sung-Yeung, although they recently released Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Sergio Agüero.

ex-Celtic player Cillian Sheridan is playing for Derry City in the First Division.

None of the clubs have ever really appointed a noteworthy manager. Stephen Carr manages St Pats, Liam Lawrence manages Athlone, Lee Carsley manages Galway. Jürgen Klinsmann managed Dundalk for less than a year. Stephen McPhail manages Limerick.  Alexander Zickler has been managing Cork City for 9 years.

Shamrock Rovers  and Bohemians still have the same managers they started with (Pat Fenlon and Keith Long respectively). As do Waterford United (Roddy Collins).

The Parkvilla youth academy is pretty much the Ireland national team, which finished runners up to Serbia in the Euros in 2024.

 

[Naitch]

This feels like a very England way to win the World Cup (2018, hosted by Italy on FM09); no "major" sides until the Final, no standout players (although Scott Carson did get the Golden Glove for only conceding twice), no player scoring more than 3 goals, and only 5 players in the entire Dream Team 23 man squad.

Spoiler

Spoiler

The group stage was one of the easiest on paper I've ever had, 9 points against Serbia (2nd), Ghana, and Saudi Arabia, no goals conceded but only 4 scored despite using an attacking 4-4-2 formation. I lost key CM Danny Guthrie to injury in the opener against Ghana, only just making it back for a cameo in the final, and also Rooney being forced off at halftime in the Iran game, missing the QF entirely, and only returning towards the end of the Switzerland game where Extra Time was briefly on the cards.

Winning against an aging Spain side that had knocked us out of WC2010 and Euro 2012, as well as finishing runners up to Brazil in 2014, was a very fitting end to the tournament.

Player Ratings in the Final:

Spoiler

Spoiler

[Hobo]

7-0 away win on opening day. Not sure when I last (or if I ever have) had a player score 6 in one game.

 

[RazorsEdge]

Game is taking the piss. By comparison the existing Premier League goals in a season record was 34.

[Bobfoc]

And there have been only ten times that a player has reached thirty goals in a Premier League season.

[JasonM]

And despite going nearly double of Andy Cole's record, his average rating is only a 8.14? Just FM things

[Hobo]

20 hours ago, DropHobo said:

7-0 away win on opening day. Not sure when I last (or if I ever have) had a player score 6 in one game.

 

He nearly did it again

EDIT:

 

The literal next game he scores 5 again. Albeit against non-league opponents.

 

[Lineker]

That save seems about ready to be retired.

[Hobo]

1 hour ago, Lineklaus said:

That save seems about ready to be retired.

Im contemplating going until my contract runs out at least. Then maybe simulating a couple of seasons just to see what happens. Part of me wants to take a job with another irish club and see if i can win anything

When i last saved jamie watters had 28 goals in 10 games. I want to see how that goes.

[The Lusophone]

On 27/12/2022 at 07:46, RazorsEdge said:

Game is taking the piss. By comparison the existing Premier League goals in a season record was 34.

Matches Dixie Dean's near 100 year old record of most goals in a top flight season. He scored 60 in 39 games in 1927-28.

[Hobo]

On 27/12/2022 at 07:46, RazorsEdge said:

Game is taking the piss. By comparison the existing Premier League goals in a season record was 34.

 

And there's 7 games left.

[9 to 5]

Really struggling for a team to play as that would be interesting to me. 

[Twist]

Made my 4th Carabao Cup final in 6 years with Middlesbrough (and 3rd in a row). Against Liverpool this time (all the previous 3 coming against Man Utd). Won on penalties to add to my two losses and lone win in previous finals.

Still in the FA Cup and Europa League, which remains my only hope of the Champion’s League. I’ve been in the CL once (on a 5th placed finish after we got a bonus spot in the new format) but managed to make the semi finals before Chelsea put us out.

The league has been a shit show this year but I’ve gradually scraped my way back into the top 10 but far enough of the top 6 that what European competition I’m in next year fully depends on whether I can upgrade on the Conference League by winning the other cup competitions.

[Naitch]

40 minutes ago, 9 to 5 said:

Really struggling for a team to play as that would be interesting to me. 

Play as Burnley and try to get them relegated to non-league without getting sacked.

[Baddar]

6 hours ago, 9 to 5 said:

Really struggling for a team to play as that would be interesting to me. 

 

 

[JasonM]

6 hours ago, 9 to 5 said:

Really struggling for a team to play as that would be interesting to me. 

I don't know if you're interested in 'nationbuilding', but I have always been enamored with the idea of picking up a mid-tier European league and trying to see how far I can get (until I burn out) in putting that nation on the major European stage.

Croatia and Serbia tend to be good nations since they regularly produce good talent and have reasonably good registration laws allowing you to import some 'local talent' from beyond too.

Austria also could be a good shout, although the small league size is a turnoff. A club like Austria Klagenfurt is interesting though since they never won a league title, but have the biggest stadium in the nation at 32K (Beyond the National Stadium) and some decent facilities, it could be a nice stepping stone to challenge moneybags Red Bull and the old Viennese order of Rapid/Austria Wien.

Downside to Austria is the tiny 22 game playing schedule, and just general sense of 'small time' even when you eventually start growing the team and the league (by funneling money into other teams).

[Twist]

Austria has an initial 22 schedule when the league splits. Following this there are championship/relegation groups with 10 games a piece.

[Meacon Keaton]

When you all take over a squad half-way through a season, what do you do in regard to staff? I usually come in and keep the staff together until the end of that season and then start making changes, but I'm wondering if I'm losing out on better development or cohesiveness by not bringing in my own crew immediately.

I just took the Hull City job in mid-February and I hired a new coach to assist with trainings, but was going to let the rest of the staff stick it out for now. 

[Hobo]

Top of the world!

Incidentally, i love when FM matches have an unknown referee.

[White Castle of Fear]

Playing an FM20 game where I started unemployed, went to Hampton and Richmond, then Cambridge, and now Sunderland. Managed to gain promotion to the Premier League in 2027 but began to struggle in my first season in as my many new signings didn’t gel together. So I brought a 36 year old Jordan Henderson back to Sunderland and made him my captain. He’s been doing pretty well for his age and the back room atmosphere and results have improved.