Football Manager Deals & Offers

Show Your Managerial Mettle in Football Manager

As the name suggests, Football Manager is a computer and console game which lets players take the helm of a football club. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Football Manager is a massive game, with realistic stats for players in almost every global league. You can control lowly non-league teams, battle it out for the Champions League and much more in between. And with in-depth tactical systems and things like a new medical center, few sports titles have so much depth.

FM2018 was released in November 2017, and updated an already slick engine with plenty of additional features. It's available for Macs, PCs, iOS and Android phones, as well as the Nintendo Switch. So will you take the job? Let's find out if it's the managerial simulation for you.

The Story Behind a Revolutionary Football Management Franchise

Football management simulations are nothing new. Ever since Football Manager came out on the ZX Spectrum (it's no relation of FM18, by the way), people have been plotting formations and buying players, and generally reliving the excitement of professional football.

As the years have gone by, management simulations have become more complex, with landmarks being the Premier Manager titles on the Amiga and PC, and the Championship Manager games for the same systems. Championship Manager was the first game to add huge amounts of data to the mix, with attributes like pace, flair and heading for each player, and detailed player histories and transfer values. For football geeks, it was a revelation.

As Championship Manager blossomed in the 1990s, the creators Paul and Oliver Collyer formed a company called Sports Interactive and partnered with Eidos to market their products. But this fell apart in 2003 as Sports Interactive decided to go it alone. Eidos kept the Championship Manager title, while Sports Interactive kept the code and the knowhow. Within a year, they had turned this into the first Football Manager title (FM2005), which arrived in November 2004.

Since then, the data has become even more detailed and every year a new version has added more features, turning Football Manager into more than just a football simulation. For some people, it has become an obsession, allowing them to micro-manage the destiny of football teams and turn minnows into giants.

Since SI was bought by SEGA in 2006, the game has evolved as well, with a 3D match view appearing in 2009, the introduction of football agents in 2011, and versions for iOS phones in 2010. Playing via the internet was added as early as 2007 with Football Manager Live, which was closed in 2011 but resurrected in 2015 as Football Manager Online. So players can pit their managerial wits against fans from all over the world.

The Current Batch of Football Manager Titles

Sports Interactive currently offer three different ways to play Football Manager. All of them have the same core gameplay, letting players take over a wide range of teams and play around with tactical settings, transfers and match performances. But they differ in important ways too:

• Football Manager 18 (or FM18 for short) – The most feature rich version of the game was released in November 2017 for PC, Linux, and Mac, and these versions were followed (for the first time ever in the FM series) by a Nintendo Switch version. It provides an in-depth managerial experience, from interacting with the media, fans and the board of directors, to masterminding training, hiring physios and dictating your playing style down to the slightest kick.

• Football Manager Touch – A slightly stripped down version of the core game, Football Manager Touch was released at the same time as the main version, and is available for PCs, Macs, Linux and – importantly – both iOS and Android smartphones. It's recognisably Football Manager, with detailed tactical options and match management, but without some of the details like handling media enquiries, a simplified tactical system and generally fewer features. However some people like to buy both titles for playing on the move or at home. You can upload tactics between the two versions, so if you find a formula that works, you don't need to keep it to one game.

• Football Manager Mobile – Released only for iOS and Android phones in November 2017, this version is obviously much less complex, but still provides a slick management simulation even for older phones. While Touch can be played on phones as well, the smartphone version is more oriented to people who want to play quick bursts of a few matches during train or bus journeys, and is a more arcade-style game compared with the data-heavy beasts that are Touch and FM18.

How the Gameplay Works in Football Manager

If you haven't played a football management simulation before, the interface looks simple at first glance. First off, you need to pick your team. FM2018 includes 147 different leagues and 2,500 teams – all with actual player names and realistic attributes. The developers actually maintain a scouting network across the world which keeps everything up to date.

When you've chosen your team, you'll be able to start managing. Buttons lead to screens dedicated to training, transfers, team selection, finances, saving your game, reading match reports, checking messages from players, the media or the board, and hiring or firing staff. If it can be done by a manager in real life, the side menu in FM2018 probably lets you do it.

You can fine tune your starting eleven, subs and tactics (and even control the under-23s if you want to get in deeper), and then it's time for the match. Matches can be viewed in 3D if you prefer, although faster modes are available. At any time, you can change your formation and make subs, and hopefully you'll make the right calls.

New Features for Football Managers to Tinker Around with in FM2018

Every year's new edition of Football Manager brings a host of new features, and this year's instalment is no exception. Here are some of the new elements which promote FM2018 into a different league compared with FM2017:

• Dynamics – Easily the most important change is the inclusion of social dynamics in the way your team performs. Now, cliques appear in badly managed teams and squads with too many prima donnas can easily fall apart. The way you treat players matters, as it does in real life, adding a psychological component to successful management.

• Scouting – Scouting has always been a key part of FM gameplay, and the developers have made it more detailed than ever, adding in-depth reports from scouts (and making it vital to recruit the best staff in this area). You now have a scouting budget as well, which has to be used wisely, especially in the lower leagues.

• Tactical exposure – The tactical interface has undergone a makeover. Now, you can still plot intricate formations and transitions, but an overlay is available which instantly shows whether you are exposed in different situations.

• Medical expertise – FM2018 has added a “medical centre” to the mix, providing much more detail about player injuries and whether specific players are especially vulnerable to injuries. With this expert input, managers can avoid annoying training ground injuries, so it's worth listening to the club doctor.

• Draft – Sports Interactive have totally overhauled the Fantasy Draft mode. Draft lets you get together with friends and assemble a team from a pool of players using a draft-style system. After that, you just battle it out for the spoils. The new version extends draft to multiple seasons, and players can be added or removed over time, while cups have been enhanced with two legged ties and the mode has been optimised for streaming.

• Match experience – Every version brings a more realistic experience during matches, and FM2018 is no exception, with more accurate goalkeeper mechanics and far more camera angles to get the best seats in the house.

Act Like a Boss in Football Manager 2018

How Have the Gaming Press Received the Latest Version of Football Manager?

Over the years, Football Manager has been a darling of the gaming press and fans alike. That's probably why it's now the undisputed champion management sim, and there's no real competition. But how has the latest edition fared with critics? Could FM be ready for a relegation?

Not really. The response has tilted towards positive or enthusiastic. PC Gamer's reviewer loved the dynamics system, which added a layer of realism and personality to the relationship between managers and players. They also praised the developers for streamlining the interface in general – a particular benefit for inexperienced players who might have felt overwhelmed by the menus and windows involved in previous FM titles.

Trusted Reviews were almost as keen on FM18, calling it “ridiculously addictive” and noting the improved ability to give players instructions to take out onto the pitch. They weren't sure that dynamics had been perfected, but welcomed its inclusion, and suggested that some aspects of the user interface could do with “freshening up”.

Those reviewers are pretty much representative of the media in general, and the PC version has a Metacritic rating of just over 80%. However, it's worth noting that some players haven't been as positive. Many aren't convinced that the new features amount to revolutionary additions, and aren't crazy about the 3D engine. So there have been dissenters.

Ways to Buy the Standard Version of FM2018

As usual, there are a number of ways to get hold of FM2018, so it makes sense to consider all the options and find a version that's right for you.

Firstly, it's worth reiterating that there are three versions: FM2018, Touch and the smartphone version, and these are available for different platforms (noted above). Firstly, let's focus on the main game, as that's the product that most buyers will be interested in.

The Standard edition of the main game can be ordered for Linux, Macs and PCs. In all cases, buyers will need to have a Steam account, or it won't be possible to download the game data. If you haven't already got an account, joining the game distribution platform is free of charge, and you can create an account easily on their website.

Sports Interactive and SEGA have released the game in a hard copy version and a digital download this time around, and many boxed versions you'll see in shops won't contain a disc. Instead, they come with a download code. Even if you do buy a disc version, an account is required to activate the game.

A “Limited Edition” of FM2018 is also available from some retailers, but doesn't add many extras. The only addition is a paper foldout inside the box which provides a “management masterclass” and may be helpful for newer players.

Nintendo Switch owners can also purchase the game, and the best place to do so might by the Nintendo website, which provides more information about the game.

Buying Other Editions of FM2018

If you'd like to by FM Touch, doing so is easy, and there's generally no need to head to a bricks and mortar store. Retailers like GAME offer regular discounts for the Touch download code, so just hunt around on the HotUKDeals Football Manager listings and buy the code. Then head to the download site.

Pretty much the same applies to the smartphone version, which can be downloaded from the iTunes Store and Google Play, or purchased from gaming merchants.

FM2018 – Recommended PC Specifications

FM2018 may not seem like a processor-intensive title, as it lacks complex graphics, but it does come with minimum recommended specs, so PC owners should check them before buying:

• Processor: Intel Pentium 4 or 2.2GHz AMD Athlon

• RAM: 2GB RAM, 256GB VRAM

• Operating System: Windows Vista, 7, 8 or 10

• Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 9600M, Intel GMA X4500 or Radeon HD 3650

• Disk space: 7GB

The specs are the same for Linux users, while Mac users will need an Intel Core 2, 1.8GHz system.

A Quick Guide to Mastering the Tactical System

If you're coming to Football Manager for the first time, a few tactical tips could help you to hit the pitch running. It's a complex game at first, but there are some principles which should avoid heavy defeats in your first few matches:

• If you start at a lower level club, try to avoid implementing a high degree of “team fluidity.” Only advanced players with the right attributes can switch positions without leaving their team exposed.

• If you want to play tiki-taka passing football, a “defensive” mindset is preferable. That way, your players will patiently develop moves. But if you want to play like Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, use an “attacking” mindset, launching players forward at high speed when the chance arises.

• Generally speaking, passing teams play with a slightly lower “tempo” than direct, physical teams. If you set the tempo too low for teams who can't pass effectively, you'll find it very hard to retain possession.

• 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 are good starting points for creating your own tactical template. Try to balance different wings and keep a solid core, covering both defense and attack.

• Sometimes, experimenting with the “width” setting can be revolutionary, liberating players to create chances. At other times, it can destroy your team cohesion, so experiment in friendlies and see how your squad reacts.

• When buying strikers at lower levels, you'll need to mix strength with values like anticipation and off-the-ball, which helps them shrug off burly defenders and beat the offside trap.

• When you're confident enough, start to play around with player instructions. This is where you can really customise the way your team plays. But be careful, because changing instructions can have dramatic consequences. Change one variable at a time, and assess its effects before moving onto another.

How Does Football Manager's Online Mode Work?

One of the most exciting and impressive aspects of Football Manager is the ability to play against human players. There's no “massively multiplayer” arena for people from around the world to test their skills. Instead, you can play against friends (or rivals) via the internet.

This game mode works via the Career button, which appears on the startup menu. Essentially, this turns your computer or console into a server which friends can log onto and create their teams.

There may also be the option to head to Steam to join leagues involving complete strangers. If a game is labelled as “public”, you're free to join and show off how much you know about the Beautiful Game.

How Can You Access the Football Manager Forum?

Football Manager is one of those titles where players can really benefit from picking the brains of experienced managers. Thankfully, there are a number of places where newbies can pick up tips from veterans.

The Sports Interactive discussion boards are the place to start, providing threads on all of the versions, along with the chance to report and find out about bugs, strategy discussions and even the opportunity to suggest new features for FM2019.

There are also fan-run sites which host lively conversations about the game. Some of the most popular include FM Base and the FM Scout boards, which is also a great place to download scouting tools for the game itself. Finally, Reddit's Football Manager Community is always a good place to talk about your managerial experiences.

Tips on Buying Football Manager at the Best Price

If you want to take Arsenal to Champions League glory, or pilot Kidderminster Harriers into the Premier League, there's only one way to do so: by playing FM2018. It's easy to get hold of a copy of the world's premier football management sim, and you should always be able to do so at bargain prices.

Just have a look at the HotUKDeals Football Manager listings and find a download or hard copy for a price you like. All of the UK's biggest gaming merchants will be represented, including GAME, Amazon, Argos, eBay and CDKeys, as well as Nintendo and SEGA/Sports Interactive website.

If you haven't bought a Nintendo Switch yet, you may also be able to find bundles featuring FM2018 and the console, allowing you to save money on both. And whether you buy the game itself or a bundle, shopping at certain times of year can help to save cash. Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November are always great times to bargain hunt for gaming products, along with Amazon Prime Day.

If you really want a cheap copy, it's worth remembering that Sports Interactive tend to release and update every year, usually in November. So expect big reductions for FM2018 as the update approaches.

Football Manager Discounts at HotUKDeals

Football Manager is an epic game. Offering a blizzard of statistics and endless ways to fine tine your team, it puts you in the managerial hot seat like never before, allowing anyone to become Wenger, Ferguson or Mourinho. If you think you have the skill to succeed in the dugout, get hold of a discounted copy at the HotUKDeals Football Manager listings.