My FM2008 Adventure Starts

My FM2008 game started today after a long time of gaming hiatus. I am back to endless nights of tweaking my team and searching for the perfect wonderkid.

As funny as it sounds, there’s a sense of nervous excitement to it. Well do you share my sentiments when starting your game too?

The installation for my game took some six minutes and creating the game, another fifteen minutes. In total in might seem like a long time eh.

But I was running an old 1.8GHz XP computer, plus I was opening other programs in the background during work time, so I reckon it would be faster on another desktop computer.

The eight leagues I choose. Click thumbnail to enlarge picture.

Being an ‘International’ coach, I chose eight nations and eleven leagues for my game. Mainly leagues in Europe was chosen such as Italy, Spain, Germany, England, Scotland and Holland, which was playable.

Only England had multiple detailed leagues, the rest has top-tier divisions only. The leagues outside of Europe I chose was Brazil and Singapore, my homeland.

The game database was large and I opt for reality in the game by turning on the badges/logo, background and real photos preferences.

I love my gaming skin to have its panel found on the right side, so I chose that too.

After creating my profile, I had my usual choice of managing my team. It was my favorite Manchester United. I’ve been a fan since I was a kid during Parker and Steve Bruce era.

Back then the Red Devils wasn’t as commercially successful as they are now, still I’m a die-hard fan through the good and even the bad times. Unlike plenty of soccer supporters out there who tends to ‘jump’ their support and affection.

I still don’t know why I’m head over heels liking Manchester United and not other teams in other leagues. The fact that my country was once a colonial British outpost, plus there was ‘more’ TV telecast of English soccer compared to the Seria and La Liga might have prompted in my affiliation during my younger lad-days.

In fact it was a toss-up between Norwich and Manchester United, but I’ve always had a fascination for the magical homeground ‘The Theatre of Dreams’. It sounds so grand right.

My first match against Newport Co. Click thumbnail to enlarge picture

Well after choosing Manchester United in the game, I lay the ground-works for my season.

After replacing Alex Ferguson shockingly, I opted for a radical change in the team. I shook up the ranks for staff and players alike. No one was spared.

I felt the team was to bloated financially and looked to gain more strength in the team in whole.

So I let go some players which I find not having any future in my team. Most of the letting go was in the reserves, players such as Christopher Fagan to Micheal Barnes. I offered them lower than their value to local English teams. They were snapped up immediately.

As for the staff, there was too many people for a certain positions. I sacked couple of scouts, why do I need so many of them anyway. I’m a good scouter on my own myself.

After letting go a few position, instead I employed one reputed staff for each position. From example, Dutchman Joop Hiele, a world class goalkeeping coach was hired.

In the players department, I was really hoping to land a top striker as that’s where I really lack any backups. If Wayne Rooney, Saha and Tevez was injured, I would have to makeup of my wingers such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs as replacement forwards.

Inzaghi rejected my contract offer to my dismay. Click thumbnail to enlarge picture.

I tried signing Filippo Inzaghi. My bid was accepted at $3 million pounds, but the Italian refuse to move to England. I also tried young Barcelona apprentice forward Bojan, he too finds it reluctant to move from Barcelona.

I also tried power forward Luca Toni and German Miroslav Klose, but their respective teams was anal to let them go. I can’t match their price as I only have $10 million pounds to spend.

I did was successful to sign Frenchman Fabian Barthez as backup goalkeeping and Russian national captain, defender Sergey Ignashevich to strengthen my central defence.

After signing new staff and letting go some with mutual agreement, plus gaining some money from selling my players, I was further left with $8 million pounds only.

The game against Antwerp. Click thumbnail to enlarge picture.

I’m still in search of my striker even now as the game proceeds. I’ve had a few friendlies so far. All I won comfortably, expect for one against Belgium side Antwerp on away game. Maybe my team lacks match fitness, but we won by the closest of goal, 2-1 to us.

The other matches was majority of Spanish semi-pro teams such as Sanse and Ponferradina. Being playing away I didn’t go cautious during the game. I tried the 4-4-2 formation successfully with no hitches.

There’s still one more friendly to go before the season opens and by then I do hope to capture my quality forward. I just love searching for a gem of a player.