Introduction
This has been brewing for a while and I’m glad I finally created this publication. I’m not much of a writer but I prefer this to making videos as I’m even worse at that.
Where were we? Right, the introduction. Well I’m not a big shot really. I live in Dundalk, Ireland with my fiance and I play a lot of Football Manager — especially lately. We moved here recently from Dublin and our internet installation is not progressing at all so what can you do, play more FM2022 obviously.
The Championship Manager and Football Manager series have been a staple in my life for a long while, 23 years to be more or less exact. My first manager game was Football Masters ’98. I was introduced to it by someone I don’t really keep in touch with but we played many nights through managing teams in the same league. Ah yes, the arrogant laugh when my 4–1–5 all out attacking tactics thrashed everybody despite my friends’ teasing. Then came the CM games. I remember all the early mornings I’d get up just to play CM 03/04 instead of watching the telly like “normal” kids. Then came the rift between Eidos and Sports Interactive and with it the horrible pressure to pick one and stick to it. I picked the wrong one. Championship Manager without Sports Interactive just wasn’t as good. The UI stayed familiar but things just felt off. After a while I switched to Football Manager. That was about the time I started college and I’d be lying if I said myself concentrating more on managing virtual teams instead of studying didn’t play a huge part of me being booted from said college. I did happen to meet quite a few people who enjoyed it almost as much as me though so those were pretty good times.
Ever since then I’ve been playing every release with more or less intensity, depending on my circumstances. The Football Manager games bring me a sort of purpose, looking at statistics and figuring things out is one of the best ways to calm me down — just to make me ballistic when my striker misses their 5th 1 on 1 with the keeper.
Yet, I think something’s changed. My playing style evolved. I always liked to “play” Football Manager and try to do my best but in the last couple of years I look to learn from others more than I used to. Learn about things I assumed the functionality of before or didn’t even care — or just simply delegated the responsibilities. I’m honing my craft and I want to have document, a diary of this wonderful journey. This is why I made this publication.
