Football Manager 2008

[supergrass]

Finally got round to FM2008, apart from the skin - which can be easily changed/darkened - things have started well. Started off unemployed, forcing my way into League 1 strugglers Cheltenham when the board expressed disappointment in being rooted to the bottom. Sorted out a parent deal with Aston Villa, signed Dwight Yorke on a free and finished in the top half.

I was a bit gutted the Brentford job I was after came up shortly after I started with Cheltenham, it was an indication my career was to be based elsewhere, I saw out my contract and left after boosting my reputation. Not trying to jump too far too soon I took the Crystal Palace job after they were relegated to League One. Kept the squad together and signed Michael McIndoe for the left wing - cruising at the top as expected, played 9 won 8 drawn 1, conceded 2.

That and Simon Jordan stumped up an extra 3m at the first time of asking, Palace for my career it is.

[nabeel]

Okay, so how do I get around starting a network game with my friend and how will it function? Just got cable!

[FireDoughnut]

Played this game like 5 minutes ago... Awesome-ness... And yes I have signed Darren Anderton too Man Utd

[IAceI]

You have no idea how close I came to installing 00/01 two days ago. I may now for the sake of someone to talk to about it ¬_¬

[FireDoughnut]

It's awesome.

The only problem is I can't remember which kids to pick up as I'm either too early for them, or I'm too late and they've already gone to the big club they went too.

Although I did get Rio

[IAceI]

Isn't John Terry like a 19 year old?

Installing now

[FireDoughnut]

Yup. Rio is 22. Joe Cole is 19 and Wayne Rooney isn't in the game.

[IAceI]

Took control of Deportivo.

.. I can't get used to these player pages, the stats are all over the place it's impossible >_<

[Dont Fear The Reaper]

I still like to whip out the old CM01/02 now and again, its fucking ace, one of the best (if not then THE best) in the FM/CM Series

[King Ellis]

I'm tempted to put on CM01/02 now and sign Tó Maderia.

[FireDoughnut]

So I'm through my first season and it's scary to see the players that never made it big that are massive talents in this.

I've just signed Lee Wilkie from Dundee as well as Ariel Ortega and Elber to supplement a Man Utd team that finished 4th. I decided to concentrate on the Champions League and then lost 1-0 in the Final to Heerenveen, or however it is spelled.

Plus, every team in the league seems to have found amazing foreigners to add to their team, except Liverpool who signed Alan Shearer. On the plus side, Jonathan Greening is easily out playing every other central midfielder I have, although I expect that to change when I sign 21 year-old Ronaldinho from Gremio

EDIT: Current Man Utd squad, starting the 2001/02 season

GK: Fabien Barthez / Steve Simonsen (signed from Everton for 1.6mill, Bosnich went to Everton)

Steve is a stop gap until I can get Iker Casillas or Erland Hellstrom from Hammarby

DL: Silverstre / Irwin / Phil Neville

Irwin is on his way out but I still him so he stays

DR: Gary Neville / Wes Brown / Phil Neville

It's all about Gary, but the others are solid cover.

DC: Jaap Stam / Ronny Johnsen / John O'Shea

It's rare that Jaap doesn't play but when he doesn't Ronny is good cover

DC: Rio Ferdinand / Wes Brown

Practically always Rio here as well. Everything seems to go wrong without them.

MC: Roy Keane ©

Nicky Butt was the replacement here but I sold him to Arsenal for 7 million. Not replaced yet, but then again there is no transfer window.

MC: David Beckham / Paul Scholes / Darren Anderton

Depending on the mood, anyone of the three can partner Roy. Anderton usually plays on the wings.

AML: Ryan Giggs / Ole Gunnar / Jovan Stankovic

Giggs is proving to be rather injury prone so Ole has played more than I would have liked. Fortune was playing here last season but I want rid of him.

AMR: Darren Anderton / Ariel Ortega / Kristian Djordjevic

Anderton played last season as the other two weren't here. I expect Ariel to make the position his own.

AMC: Jonathan Greening / Paul Scholes / Ariel Ortega

Teddy announced he was going to retire, and then Paul got injured so I decided to try and blood Greening in this position. Absolute legend. Great player, great passing and ripped Chelsea apart to have six assists when I beat them 7-2

FC: Dwight Yorke / Andy Cole / Elber / James Beattie

Beattie is shit and will be leaving... I signed him as an after thought. I forgot about Elber arriving Yorke works better with Greening while Cole seems to enjoy Scholes more and strangely, when I played Ortega in the hole, Elber scored a hat-trick. Ah well.

Edited April 11, 2008 by FlatDoughnut

[IAceI]

It's all kicking off for me in Deportivo. Djalminha doesn't come to training, I tried to punish him and he threw a hissy fit. He's not playing well but he's the best player by far, and the reason I even bothered to install this game and go as Deportivo so I'll be damned if I'm getting rid of him.

The fans hate him. The players hate him. I'm getting protested because I can't handle club affairs properly. We're struggling in the league and we just lost 2-1 late on to Arsenal in the 2nd group stage of the Champions League.

This is ridiculous.

[FireDoughnut]

Djalminha left Deportivo to join Parma for 9 million, and then within two weeks was back at Deportivo for 10.75 million. I've decided to stay well away.

EDIT: I forgot how much fun the 2nd group phase was. I loved that format of the Champions League.

Edited April 11, 2008 by FlatDoughnut

[IAceI]

And in good news Roy Makaay is back from his 4 month injury.

Makaay, Turu Flores, Diego Tristan, Deus, Renaldo, Abreu, Bassir, Pandiani, Ronaldo (signed cheap from Fluminese, not that great)

are my possible strikers. Extremely fast, but they don't seem to score enough.

I'm wanting to shore up my defence a bit when the transfer window reopens, got any good defenders I can use? I signed Joe Dolan from Millwall - yes - but he's more for the future and not right now. Was trying to sign Gallas from Marseille but they didnt want to sell.

[Gazz]

Djalminha was/is a CM legend. A complete and utter cunt of a player, regardless of team. I remember a long-ish game of CM01/02 I had were he played for 9 different clubs in 11 seasons.

Speaking of going back in time aswell, does anyone remember in the original CM2, because Michael Owen (he was unknown back then) had no set birthdate, he'd randomise between a 16 year old with no potential to as much as a 32 year old with no potential, and usually end up either retiring or once, he forged an excellent ( ) 3 year career at Barnet, bagging a whole 4 goals in the process.

[stokeriño]

It continues to sadden me how my copy of CM01/02 has gone AWOL.

[Summers]

You're not alone.

[Dont Fear The Reaper]

Go to eBay and pick up a copy?

[FireDoughnut]

Do it.

There is something awesome about getting through a season in six hours... It's putting the fun back in, after FM previously getting quite methodically... I'm practically giddy.

[IAceI]

Djalminha was/is a CM legend. A complete and utter cunt of a player, regardless of team. I remember a long-ish game of CM01/02 I had were he played for 9 different clubs in 11 seasons.

Speaking of going back in time aswell, does anyone remember in the original CM2, because Michael Owen (he was unknown back then) had no set birthdate, he'd randomise between a 16 year old with no potential to as much as a 32 year old with no potential, and usually end up either retiring or once, he forged an excellent ( ) 3 year career at Barnet, bagging a whole 4 goals in the process.

CM legend?

Try real life legend. He was Ronaldinho before anyone really knew Ronaldiho. He went onto the field to entertain the fans. I don't like how the game portrays him as an utter cunt since he was Deportivo's best player and played for them for quite a long time but ah well, as long as I'm manager he isn't going anywhere.

The team hate him. The fans hate him. The board don't reckon he should be in the team, but he's fucking staying because quite frankly. He is Djalminha, I remember in year 5 once I handed in my work and for fun I put 'Luke "Djalminha" Harvey' and that was when I was about 9 or 10. So yeah, I love the man.

I also have Eto'o in the B side, out on loan at Mallorca. He's a young gun and will be called up eventually, probably with Changui. Need to make room for them sometime but Turu Flores is off to PSG for £8m which is good money for someone with 5 league appareances. Selling people is easy, stick em on the list and a load of players will appear.

I'm signing Gallas. I approached him after he rejected a Marseille contract and offered him one, so he'll join us at the end of the season. I may also be snapping up Ronaldinho for as little as £26m from Gremio. It took some effort but he's agreed a contract. Loads of defenders rejected me, Terry didn't want to sign for us and later went on loan to Northampton. Ferdinand and the sort all had my offers rejected before we could talk contract. But yeah, I need some strengthening.

I've turned the season around, currently in 4th but chasing Real Madrid and Celta. I reckon a top 4 is a good achievement, we fell off the pace early in our attempt to retain the La Liga crown and Barcelona are about 10 points clear and don't look likely to let up at just over the half way stage. It's all fun. Definitely missed this type of gaming since we've been on FM. There's still a tad too many goals, but I do enjoy it.