
But I'm not convinced by it yet.įor a new feature to take a year or two to find its place in the vast simulation is nothing new, but this version of Football Manager feels like it's on the verge of a significant change but hasn't quite figured out where all the new pieces fit into the puzzle. This year's biggest introduction, the dynamics feature that breaks down inter-squad relationships and cliques, is a natural extension of that idea and I think it might eventually be an important one. Since then, the trend has been toward making a game about dealing with players as functioning human beings rather than a bundle of stats. It began, in earnest, with a renewed emphasis on player roles and instructions rather than more abstract tactical sliders.


In recent years, Football Manager has been making a slow but determined shift toward stronger role-playing elements. On the pitch, I'm enjoying it as much as I ever have, but whether it's a reflection of reality or not, I find the basics of dealing with a squad of sulks as tedious as Ashley Cole's autobiography. I might be a legend of the game and one of the most beloved footballers of my generation but as soon as I stick my nose in at half-time, all the energy is sucked out of the dressing room.įootball Manager 2018 gives me all of the data I need to understand why the team are uninterested or unhappy, but I'm not convinced it gives me any meaningful or interesting tools to address those factors.
