Five of the most satisfying moments in Football Manager

In such a vast landscape with so many responsibilities, Football Manager can produce a whole range of memorable moments - moments that produce a wide range of emotions. When things are going right though it’s oh so satisfying so we thought we’d compile five of the most satisfying moments you’re bound to experience during your FM career. 

1) Super Sub 

We’ll start at the most basic of magical managerial moments by looking at how a boss can influence a game from the touchline. None more obvious than making a game-changing substitution.

You spot where it’s all going wrong and fix it in one swift move. A second-half sub that exploits the opposition’s previously well-hidden weakness. With almost his first touch the super sub explodes onto the scene and gets you back in the game.

While he celebrates with the crowd, the rest of the team and coaching staff head your way for a bundle by the benches. You're a genius. Drink it in.

 2) Selecting squad numbers 

Selecting squad numbers for the upcoming season, for most, is an important part of a manager’s pre-season responsibility.

Rewarding your best/favourite players with the preferred numbers is what it’s all about. The tricky part comes when your promising young winger, who’ll get limited minutes, demands the number seven shirt. I mean you have to admire his cojones, but that just can’t run. Not in your house.

Selecting numbers is a chance to mark your authority, to set foundations for the campaign ahead. It’s also a chance to give out, what some would call, proper numbers. No number 99s, 44s and 66s –you’re marking out the starting eleven, just how it was in the good old days.

3) Perfect player roles 

When selecting players to fill your eleven and shape your tactic you’re greeted with green circles - representing your star’s comfortability in that role. Nothing is more satisfying or fulfilling than seeing a full house of green circles on your tactics screen.

Two Ball Playing Centre Backs, behind a Ball Winning Midfielder whose distribution is aimed towards the Inside Forwards who look to supply a born Poacher. Green as far as the eye can see.

4) Receiving thanks from an international debutant 

One of the finest compliments you can be paid, as a manager, is having another manager select one of your prospects to represent his country. This is especially significant if it’s a player you’ve nurtured through loan spells, reserve football and into the big world of the first team. From wonderkid to world-class. You’ve not only made him but now you can sit back and watch him shine. As long as he doesn’t return from international duty with a knock…

? Noun: International Break

?️ Definition: Periods of time that managers spend hoping their star player doesn't return injured ?

— Football Manager (@FootballManager) March 22, 2019

This satisfying and wholesome moment is made even better when that player dedicates his achievement to you, recognising that without your help he never would have made it to the international stage. How touching.

5) The following player on your shortlist is entering the last six months of his contract 

It’s coming up to January and you’ve done your scouting, you have some targets in mind and a chunk of the budget left over from your summer spend up. There are some new loan/transfer listed players you’re investigating but above all else, you just want to ensure you don’t buy for the sake of it.

Until you get that item, that sweet, sweet inbox item telling you that your number one target only has six months left on his current deal… a freebie cannot be resisted – it would be rude not to, wouldn’t it?