Εισαγωγή στα βασικά του staff & της μετεγγραφικής αγοράς

[DoctorBalendar]

Football management is a taxing pastime. You go into the job looking like Jose Mourinho, and six months of stress later you look more like Harry Redknapp... unless, of course, you're Jose Mourinho.

To make the task of managing a club more manageable, and to save you from the Keegan effect of instant grey hair, Football Manager 2006 gives you a roster of staff who can take on tasks so you can focus on the parts of the job you feel matter most. Chances are, though, you're not using this invaluable resource to the full. With this in mind, we've put together a beginners guide, from the top of the club's hierarchy down, to squeezing every inch of value out of your backroom boys...

Chairman

Not strictly a member of staff (in that he's your boss!), but the Chairman is an invaluable figure on the club's payroll and will want to ensure you have every resource you need, within his budget. You can use your relationship with your chairman to your advantage, especially when you have developed a good rapport with the club's fans and a good reputation in the game. Don't be scared to push home your advantage to request extra transfer funds when you've been at a club for a while and enjoyed some success.

Assistant

a) Options screen

Assistant managers can be little more than coaches with a better car and a loftier title, or they can be your right-hand man, charged with looking after key areas of your job description. You choose how much to delegate to them and can alter their tasks by accessing the Options screen. Click on the Manager drop-down at the top of your screen and select Options to access a list or roles you can delegate to your assistant or - if you don't have one - your most senior coach.

There are basically four reasons to use these assistant options: to relieve yourself of duties you can't be bothered with or you think are getting in the way of your job, to ensure areas of the job you aren't as good at are taken care of properly, to provide a yardstick for your own performance and, finally, to give you MORE control over the way the club is run.

Clear your desk... Some areas of your job description, such as arranging friendlies and managing the youth team from the dugout may be important to some bosses. However, if you think you can spend your time better elsewhere, such as immersing yourself in the management of your senior pros, it pays to ask you assistant to take charge of these issues. If you feel your assistant has too much on his plate, or prefer to use a coach, you can use the drop-down menu to allocate tasks to someone else on your backroom staff. This is particularly useful if you have a coach who specialises in working with youngsters, for instance, and you are looking for someone to take charge of youth affairs at the club.

Ask the experts... You probably know your own weaknesses as a manager. If you feel you are having trouble handling team-talks, for instance, why not ask your assistant to take care of them? If he's experienced enough he might just have the nous to motivate your players while you concentrate on the tactical element of the game.

Judge your skill... Using your assistant options as a yardstick is also useful too (see Go On Holiday below). By asking your assistant to take charge of reserve (or even first-team) games you can watch and learn from his style and perhaps incorporate some of his tactical decisions int your own approach.

Get more power... By checking the Use Current Match Tactics you can dictate that every team in the club conforms to a certain formation. Ordinarily assistants will try to win a game by accommodating players into a formation they think best suits the talent at their disposal - but it may be that, for you, results are secondary to other considerations at the reserve level.

This option is really useful when you are trying to drum a certain style of play into everyone at a club and enables you to judge how players will perform in a certain position in the event you'd like, or are forced, to call them into the first-team squad. Sometimes you'll find that a reserve player with lower stats than a first teamer performs much better in a specialised position - under these circumstances that reserve teamer would have a justified shout for first-team action.

b) Team report

This supremely useful feature should be consulted on a regular basis as it represents your assistant's no-nonsense view of the strengths and weaknesses of your squad, cutting through the many statistics that you can sometimes get lost in while you navigate the game. To access this menu, click Get Team Report on the left-hand panel of your Squad screen.

Taking into account the Profile of your assistant - he may not be as astute as you, or may have a different footballing philosophy - the first and second team line-up suggestions given here are a good place to start when it comes to selecting your side, especially if you have joined a team mid-season.

The star ratings are a great at-a-glance indicator of your assistant's overall view of players' ability. If you find yourself with a set of players rated with a lowly single star you can pretty much guarantee that, since your assistant is unlikely to be THAT wide of the mark, you have a poor squad. By flitting between the two squads you'll get an instant sense of the depth of your set-up - if you have four five star-rated defenders you can be confident that those positions are in good shape... though there's always room for improvement.

The best, weakest and potential stars category is a great way of tracking who you should be focussing on keeping happy and who is a candidate for the boot, but perhaps the most useful aspect of the assistants' team report is the brief squad analysis at the top of the screen. Your assistant won't mince his words here - if he thinks players need to be shown the exit or the squad is in danger of missing the season's targets he tell you in no uncertain terms. As a manager you ignore the advice of a seasoned assistant at your peril.

c) Filter Out

As much a time-saver as anything, but also a fun way to see how your pull in the transfer market is ebbing and flowing, this. In the Filter Customise... option you should click Ask Assistant To Filter Out Unrealistic Targets if you are looking to find a player you want to sign now, rather than one you'd like to track over a period.

This option will instantly rule out any players who wouldn't consider a move to your club, thereby saving you the effort of pursuing them and also the heartache of agreeing a fee only to find you cannot meet the demands of the player you are chasing.

Coaches

a) Training

If you think coaches are way less important than you, think again. Your coaching staff has more contact with the majority of your players than you do, and they are involved in the day-to-day moulding of your squad. Their values will rub off on the squad and, even if you are heavily directing them, your coaches are bound to bring their own football philosophy to bear.

One way of using your coaches to the maximum is by adopting a system of specialisation. It may even pay to take your coaching precision to extremes, hiring in a trainer to work with a section of your squad, a few players or even individuals. If you do so you'll be following the lead of many top clubs who now look to specific defensive, midfield and striking coaches, as a well as that traditional specialist subject area - goalkeeping, to ensure very member of the team is properly prepared.

Clearly you'll need to be at a club with plenty of funds to make this a viable tactic, but when you're at the top of the game you can use such extreme specialisation to minimise your chances of failure.

b) Report

Coaches can give you an at-a-glance look at how a player is settling into your squad and how they are performing in training. By clicking on a player and then selecting his Training Overview page you'll see a break down of how he is faring, courtesy of your coach. As well as a statistical indication of how the player is doing, your backroom team member will give a brief report on the individual highlighted. This will come from the most senior coach at your team - so will fall to the assistant if you have one.

This information is crucial as it doesn't solely focus on the player's physical response to training, but will also give you an indication of his attitude to training - his commitment and willingness to put in the effort. In extreme cases this may be extremely sub-standard and require a reprimand from you, but at the very least it will help you to build a profile of the player and to decide how, and if, he fits into your plans.

c) Ask To Pick

You needn't simply rely on your assistants' advice on team selection. Use the Ask To Pick option (on the left-hand panel of your Squad screen) to get a breakdown of the first team line-up each of your coaches would select. This is ideal if you are weighing-up the attacking bent of your side, for instance, as you can call on the views of coaches who prefer a more adventurous style as well as your more conservative members of staff.

Scouts

Scouts are often grossly under-used in Football Manager. You can get away without relying upon them as you become more experienced in the game, but it pays to keep your flat-capped friends as busy as you can - with a very real note of caution, however, that that it costs you money to send you scouts out on missions. Plus, remember that it costs more cash when you are asking scouts to trudge off to far-flung lands in search of a player. Small club managers on a tight budget - you have been warned!
Basically, you must judge for yourself how much scouting you can afford, and use a sliding scale to decide how to employ your charges. Here's a good order of preference you may find useful as a rule of thumb. If you are on a budget, still try to use the minimal scouting option as it should help you get the all-important wins under your belt that you'll need to turn the finances of your club around.

1. Scout next opponent - this will give you a quick tactical lowdown on the team you are about to face. Note that, as with any staff advice you receive, pay attention to the nuggets of info you are given here. No matter how simple they are, they will often help you to enjoy success.

2. Look locally for young talent - ask your scouts to be on the look-out for young talent that mightn't crop up in your usual searches. This could save you a fortune in the long-run and net you a decent player for a low fee.

3. Scout more unusual countries - chances are you'll be aware of the talent on offer, but if you do have a bit of cash, it could be that, lurking in the lower reaches of some Eastern European league, you'll find a player that's under the radar and well worth a closer look.

4. Scout globally. If you have multiple scouts it makes sense to send them off on sustained scouting missions to try to identify the best talent around the globe. Crucially, your scouts will help you to judge players against your current crop of talent and in the context of your league. It's not easy to judge how a free-scoring striker playing in a weaker league will handle the step up in class - your scouts can help you greatly here.

5. Scout specifics - this is a sliding scale too, but as you get to a point where you are enjoying success with your club, have the finances to support a wide scouting network, or where you feel confident that the majority of your squad does not need improvement, then you should ask you scouts to look for specific attributes and positions. This way you'll get a great cross-section of the talent in a given position, which should help you hone in on a handful of targets.

Remember: finances permitting, you should always scout a player before you sign him. If you need to move swiftly, you can always set the wheels of a deal in motion and get a scout report while negotiations take place. If your scout is unimpressed with what they see you'll still have time to pull out of the move.

Physios

Before Football Manager 2006 you had to ask your physios to report on your players. Now they come to you, offering suggestions of treatment that should be weighed up carefully. The physios will always advise you of a course of action that will best suit the health and fitness of the player and, in the case of a contagious malady, the squad. Defying their advice will only put your players at risk, but it's up to you to assess the advantages of allowing the physio to apply a quick-fix solution.

In Fact, the Get Physio report (on the left-hand panel of the Player Profile screen) remains in FM2006, enabling you to seek advice from your medical staff about your players' current state of health and the prospects of them staying fit.

Though you will be constantly well informed by your physios, it pays to occasionally ask All Physios to give you the lowdown on a player. Some periods, such as after someone has recovered from injury or as they get older, may be hazardous for your playing staff. Use this option to check on their health - you can always do a Newcastle and sell off your perma-crocked star central midfielder to the world's biggest club when you think they'll shortly be injured again. Just don't expect said big club to do you any favours when you come back with a bid for their fifth choice striker.

Go On Holiday

This is the managerial equivalent of taking a break and leaving your older kids in charge of the little 'uns. It enables you to let the club tick over on it's own and is primarily useful if you are out of work and need to skip through screens without sitting through endless results and button clicks. As an emergency measure, however, it can help you see how good your assistant is (he'll take charge of games) as well as give you the opportunity to weigh up your own performance if you're struggling to cope with the demands of the job or your team are in a real slump.

While you're away you can allow the assistant to pick the team. On your return it will pay to review his tactics for each game, match reports and his selection decisions. It may be that something as small as you assistant's preference for one defender over another appears to makes a huge difference in your side's results, in which case can embrace his changes and look forward to happier times ahead.

Players

Really, the players are the most important people of all. That's why you should take the tips above to get your staff embroiled in the other issues surrounding the club. You want to free up as much time as possible to focus on meeting the needs of, and getting the most out of, your players.
In Football Manager 2006, there's never been more opportunities to go face-to-face with your starlets with player interaction, team-talks and so much more...

http://www.footballmanager.net/en/a4/2.htm



It's fun to tinker with tactics and indulge in mind games. It's quite a lark to set-up nice new training regimes and issue half-time rollickings. But, for many, nothing in Football Manager beats the thrill of dealing in the transfer market...

Of course, you don't always have the funds to land big money strikers or the draw to secure the services of a truly world class player, but that doesn't take the edge off landing a bargain and cheering your fans off the pitch while boosting your chances of success on it.

Because every club, every manager and every financial circumstance is different, we've put together a checklist of tips that should act as suggestions when you come to dealing in the transfer market. Take them or leave them - you're your own boss - but we've found that these gems have helped many managers to build a reputation as shrewd customers in the Football Manager transfer market.

You'll notice that we've included tips on selling too - afterall knowing when, and how, to sell is just as important as getting the right player at the right price...



BUYING

The temptation to splash out on big names or to get caught up in the pursuit of a single player is very difficult to resist. But, resist you must. Digest these snippets - they should give you food for thought before you spend your Chairman's money...

Use Scouts wisely...

It goes without saying that you should use your scouts as much as possible when you're at a bigger club (remember: when you're at a smaller club scouting will whittle away your funds). If you've got plenty of cash, employ as many good scouts as possible and keep them working constantly at the far ends of the Earth. But, and this is the important bit, make sure you listen to what they say. If you're dazzled by a player's stats and your scout is giving you negative feedback, save your money - their advice might just ensure you avoid paying out for a donkey.

Watch the media...

It pays to investigate any names thrown up in news stories. If Villa are after some 18-year-old starlet, for instance, you should send your boys to check him over and examine his stats. By doing this you're effectively making other clubs' scouts work for you by turning up talent you can then investigate more fully. And note, it's a dog-eat-dog world - other sides will do just the same if the Press gets wind that you're closing in on a talent.

Scour the free transfers...

No matter how big or small your club is, it's always worth looking at the free transfer list. Players leave clubs on frees for all sorts of reasons, so a blank price tag doesn't necessarily mean the player is poor quality. You'll probably have to pay a premium on their wages, but once the player is on your books you can sell him on or enjoy the services of a good professional without the risk of stumping up a huge fee to land him.

Loan rangers...

Although not quite as 'fun' as capturing a player that you can sell on, loaning players is an excellent way to improve your squad without splashing out. Don't be afraid to offer to loan a player who is up for sale - their club may be happy to simply get their man off their wage bill. Negotiate too when it comes to their wage - you may not need to pay his full wages, thereby saving you money that can be invested in other players.

Be selective...

OK, so you're not going to sign pants players, but you really ought to use the Customise Filter option to look for attributes specific to your formation. Just look for obvious traits, if you like, such as shooting and heading for a striker, or pace and dribbling for a winger - you'd be amazed at how many players have low stats for attributes that are central to their position. Remember: it's often better to have a good player playing in his perfect position that a world-beater on unfamiliar territory.

Think laterally...

Look in obscure national teams for cheap players with excellent attributes, but be aware that work permits and international friendly commitments may be a problem.

Have a plan...

Have a team plan in mind that you can bring to bear when you look for players. For example, you might want to build a passing side, in which case look to sign players who can pass well, regardless of their position. If players aren't quite right, even if their other stats are good, be ruthless and pass on them.

Be brave...

While we wouldn't advocate being held to ransom over players, we'd suggest that you shouldn't be afraid to pay over the odds for a player you have every confidence is exactly the right man for the job. After all, if you've scouted him properly and believe he'll fit into your formation perfectly, his market value will only rise when he puts in top performances.

Be decisive...

Try to conclude deals as quickly as possible to avoid interest from other clubs. You should always barter, but strict deadlines on replies from the selling club will help you to whip a deal along.

Always appeal...

In Football Manager 2006 there's always a chance that an appeal against a rejected work permit bid will pay off. You should appeal as a matter of course.

Ask your assistant...

...to filter out unrealistic targets. It's not impossible to lure players with outlandish contract offers, but to save you the time, and to focus your energy away from hopeful bids for players who would never join your club, you should check this box in the Customise Filter screen. A note of caution, however: revisit your searches on a regular basis - players will often change their interest in you according to your own club's performances, your growing personal reputation and their personal circumstances.

Spread payments...

You can't go beyond your budget to land a player, but by spreading payments you'll keep some cash in the kitty for other deals and earn some vital interest - every little helps, even when you're managing a big club. Note that this tactic may back-fire if several clubs are interested in a player, and you may need to up the overall value of a transfer to tempt the selling club into accepting a 'never-never' deal.

Keep negotiating...

When you offer for a player and the club replies with a figure they are looking to achieve don't jump in and accept their demands immediately. After all, the fact that they are prepared to negotiate indicates the player is up for grabs. Even shaving £250k off a £10m deal will help you down the line, say, if you need to make an emergency signing to cover an injured player.

Buyer beware...

Always be wary of sell-on clauses in negotiated deals. It's all very well taking a risk on a player by investing funds in a transfer fee, but if you are set to lose 25% of any funds you recover from a sale you're making an even bigger gamble.

Look long-term...

Easier said than done, this one, but if you can spend some of your budget investing in younger players you will save yourself a fortune down the line. This is a common sense tip that most people still can't help but ignore. You might consider making a rule that you'll sign up one or two promising players every season, just to maintain a stream of talent at the club.

Avoid signing-on fees...

One way of saving cash and discovering how keen a player is to join you is by choosing not to pay a signing-on fee. Instead, you can bump up their wages a touch and save yourself an unnecessary outlay. Anyway, don't you pay these guys enough already?



SELLING

Start by looking at the buying tips and reversing them. If you can delay a sale to generate interest from other clubs and insist on sell-on clauses you'll be putting yourself in a stronger financial position down the line. Here are a few more tips to help you become a successful seller...

Be ruthless...

If a promising youngster hits 23 and he still isn't doing the business, sell him on as you'll receive a good price, thanks to his age. There's no sense in hanging on to a squad player when you could reinvest the money in a young prospect or pick up a more effective older pro for less money.

Don't muck about...

Get rid of players quickly to avoid their price going down due to a lack of first-team appearances. Also boot out players quickly so they don't get unhappy and cause disruption in your squad. It may pay to accept an offer below their market value rather than holding out for a full fee - the money is better off in your transfer budget than tied-up in a player you no longer want.

Review the offers...

When a bid comes in for a player don't immediately click the Accept button. A quick way of seeing the other bids on the table is by clicking on the player's name and looking in the Offers Section of his transfer page. You can then weigh-up the deals available to you and check, for instance, whether one bid tables a wedge of money up front rather than spread payments.

Kick trouble-makers...

If you can see a player is becoming agitated or appears to have a disruptive personality you should look to move him on, especially if he isn't central to your plans for the future. It may take up more of your time and prove too great a risk to your reputation to try to tame a wayward spirit who could well turn other squad members against you.

Vet the buyers...

You should always be careful who you sell to. Letting your best player go to a rival may mean they come back to haunt you in a grudge match and could do sever damage to your standing with the players and fans.

Careful who you boot...

Before you start forcing a player out of the club you should ensure that he is not a favoured personnel among fans and players (click the Club Menu and select Information to find out) - you don't want to lose someone who's a popular dressing room influence. However, if you are new to a job it may pay to use your honeymoon period to get rid of a disruptive/ under par player while the fans are still on your side.

Offer to clubs...

Even if you've placed a player on the transfer market ensure that you also offer them directly to other clubs. Often this is a way of sparking interest or persuading a potential buyer that the player is on his way out. This technique will give you a good idea of the general interest in the player and should also inform your pricing decision. If clubs think your player is too expensive, they'll say so. As a result you can consider a drop in price rather than having the player on the transfer market for several weeks, or even indefinitely.

http://www.footballmanager.net/en/a4/1.htm