10 Tips for getting more FM time when you grow older
Written by Now&ThenFM
The carefree days of staying up all night (literally) playing Football Manager for hours on end, pausing only to have a toilet break or consume some food purely just to keep your energy levels up and not having to answer to anyone (except your mum asking "are you ok up there"), just to then proudly go into school the next day with your printed off squad or jotter full of players to discuss with your mates - ahhh those were the days but sadly they are days that are now gone as quickly as your best wonderkid after having his release clause met.
21st Century Jotting
Fast forward several years and you now have to hold down a full-time job plus you have a kid plus a dog (multiplied by three) and then add a better half who you have almost certainly punched above your weight to tie down to a long term contract, all of which equate to dramatically less Football Manager time.
If you are anything like me, a grown man in his 30's who thinks about Football Manager every single day but has several key responsibilities to attend to in daily life, then you might need some tips on how to get more time in playing the game that we all love. Look no further - below I have listed 10 tips on how I manage to get my FM fix in when I can amongst the duties and responsibilities that my real life role currently requires:
1. Newgens
If you have children, depending on their age it can be very difficult to get some game time in. At the start of their careers (life), they come into your youth academy (home) and all they do is sleep most of the time but normally your partner does too so there is sufficient time then to fire up the laptop and get your FM fix in. However, children grow and develop rapidly which requires more time to coach the youngster if they are ever going to fulfill their potential and this therefore demands more of your focus. My son is 2 going on 3 so, my first tip is to get them on an individual training plan (bedtime routine) with some new traits added (places bowl in the sink after use, mark parent tightly when crossing the road) as soon as possible. Not the easiest thing to do admittedly but with a bit of determination and repetition then this will result in you having a few hours each night to play the game. DO NOT however, bring your laptop out in front of them as they may see this as some form of surfboard, seriously, my son once decided to stand on my laptop. This was a valuable lesson learned and serves me right as I should have been giving my full attention to him anyway (plus no one wants to be told off by their missus.) The hope is that one day we can play Football Manager together, reminiscent of the old times going to my mates to play CM 00/01.
This actually happened
2. Preferred Role
This largely depends on your job - I am office based so this tip is based on what I do (I'm not expecting you to take your laptop to the building site). In my current role some ‘work FM’ isn't possible but in previous jobs I was often told to "keep myself busy" as my job was very reactive so I had periods of inactivity. Sure, my boss was wanting me to maintain spreadsheets or something that would benefit the business but naturally I saw it as an ideal opportunity to hook my laptop up to the dual screens to make my FM time feel so much more professional with my shirt and tie on (not that one needs to be at work to wear a tie for FM eh?). Now, there are certain things that must be done before this can be achieved successfully in the office environment like pre-empting your FM work session the day before to save time and be more efficient, leaving much less admin to do the next day (half an hour at night saves an hour in the morning). Other things like setting up your laptop so that you can close it without going to sleep means you will be able to hide it quickly if needed without risking any loss of progress! I would also have a spreadsheet open to switch to if someone dared enter my office (though it usually contained lists of wonderkids and transfer targets).
3. Stamina = 20
Maybe giving myself 20 for stamina is unrealistic given that I can no longer stay up all night and play FM without passing out on the keyboard, however late nights are key in the struggle for more FM time. The simple truth is that there is no way it is possible to stay up all night and then responsibly care for a 2 year old, so late nights mainly happen for me at weekends and the latest will be approx. 2am. Stopping at this time gives me adequate sleep so I encourage you to know your limits and don't partake in lots of sugary drinks otherwise you will be up all night (beer is acceptable). Leading up to your late night, plant the seed with the misses (mind out the gutter) and make her aware of what your plans are. You certainly don't want her suggesting a movie night when all you really want to do is focus solely on your save, play a product of your youth academy for the first time and feel a real sense of pride and satisfaction.
4. Go on Holiday
My laptop has been to some wonderful places and I have 'FM'd' in some magnificent cities and resorts. On city breaks the key to this is just do what your other half wants (even if that means spending hours in a multi-floor Primark). Just do it - go sightseeing, enjoy a movie, a meal, do whatever your other half wants because at the end of the night you know you will be getting some.....quality FM time. You can stay up late also, you’re off on holiday so enjoy the late night and lie in because you’ve earned it by going on a 10 game unbeaten run so damn right you deserve it! Going abroad can be slightly different as I can’t always take my laptop along with all the other things you need to pack travelling with a child. To get my fix in, I bring my iPad, fully installed with Football Manager Touch. The iPad would come under the disguise of “it’s so we can watch something at night” or “I have downloaded a few things for our son to watch”. This diet version of Football Manager is ideal for a save to last you the duration of your holiday and you can really fly through the seasons along with being able to try out new teams and/or tactics to implement on the full fat version when you get home. It fills a hole, just like the 3* all-inclusive food you’re consuming.
5. Decision Making
Being drunk and playing FM is not always recommended but I suppose it depends on the level of intoxication. I, like many others enjoy a beer or a case whilst playing Football Manager at the weekends and I find if I start my FM session sober and then end up drunk, my decision making is around the same level when I started although my celebrations become a bit more animated and louder. The downfall is coming in from a night out and deciding to play FM. This can lead to you ruining a full save which I have done on many occasions. It is not recommended to argue with the board over transfer funds to the point of an ultimatum from which you do not back down, which a less drunk me would have done (4 seasons of hard work down the drain). So, the tip here is not to play FM after a night out as it will feel worse than a case of the fear the next day - find a local beer for the club you’re managing instead!
6. Media Handling
Ahhh Netflix & FM, it's your classic target man and poacher combination. Most people will have something on in the background whilst they play FM, be it music, a film or some other form of entertainment but I am not talking about when you are on your own. No, I am talking about when the other half asks you if you would like to watch something on Netflix but really you were hoping for some game time. Anyway, the tip here is to combine them all and naturally you let the other half pick what to watch. This means that you are not really interested in it so it won’t divert your attention therefore you can bring the laptop out. If they moan, respond with “well you’ve always got your face in your phone, there’s no difference” and that should be that in my experience. You will have achieved three things; 1- spending time with the other half. 2- confirmed that what they had chosen to watch was rubbish and 3 - you will have played some FM which was the whole idea in the first place.
7. Favoured Personnel?
Is there anything worse than hearing “Can you come round for dinner at my mum and dads on Sunday?” You just know you are going to be there for hours and whilst there is nothing wrong with spending time with the in-laws (said no-one ever), my being there is eating into my valuable Sunday FM time. Lucky for me (unlucky for her), I’ve been in my relationship nearly a decade so I don’t need to go to her parents house and impress because quite rightly they have already been blown away by me (Man Management: 20). So, I have on occasions taken my laptop and whilst they pander over her and my son, I can play a few games. This might seem very rude but I at least wait until I’ve had dinner and anyway, I always pass it as being work related - “oh I’m just trying to save myself some time tomorrow, you know what Mondays are like”. This method is transferable to dinner at my own parents house as my son and partner will be the centre of attention as I know my parents were secretly happy to release me of my contract by mutual termination. They do however, wonder what sort of scouting ability my missus had in place when she recruited me.
8. Community Outreach
By this I simply mean some coffee shop FM and this can’t be achieved by just saying that you are going to Costa or wherever you purchase your coffees from. No, this (in my case) has to be coupled up with something else like popping into town for a haircut and some shopping or some DIY essentials to complete some of the household jobs. Reward yourself with a coffee and take your laptop for some FM time. Don’t worry about the “what kept you?” question, just tell the truth which is you went in for a sit in coffee. There is something good about sitting with a latte, playing FM and watching the world go past. Try it, it's amazing how long you can stay in a coffee shop. You may also try engaging with the press by liaising with the barista when they ask if you will be making any tactical changes in your coffee (recommend the dark roast on this occasion).
9. Journeyman
Sure, you can take the car to your city break for quickness but who uses their car whilst in that city? Not me! I’m the designated driver and if we are going on a ‘break’ it is just that, a break so why would I want to drive 300+ miles into a place I have never been before? And that's exactly what I say when it is suggested that I drive. My suggestion is take the train. You can take your laptop with you and gone are the days where you need to rely on a decent battery life. The trains have followed your training schedule and have implemented your additional focus request of installing plug sockets. This means you can sit back and play some FM whilst your other half reads that book that you bought them (book = less chit chat). You will have several hours to master your tactic and crack open your beer that you've brought with you for the journey, you deserve it. The same can be said for flying these days - if you don't need to pack for a human child then take your other baby (laptop) - most long-haul flights also provide a power outlet, what better way to lock in for a 6 hour flight than a session of uninterrupted FM?
10. Presenting Data
Get more invested in your save, I mean, who doesn’t do some Wikipedia research on the club they are about to manage, choose them because of their kits or current situation, maybe convince your partner to fly there for a "“holiday”? We’ve all been there right? Well why not tweet regular updates from your save, write down your thoughts on players/tactics or even start a blog. Creating a record of your save for yourself makes a save extra enjoyable and if you want to it can be for others to read also. The latter creates engagement and even if just from one person then it will help you feel more invested in it (trust me, I know). I get new save ideas and inspiration for my saves by listening to podcasts, watching Youtube videos, checking out other people’s blogs and reading books. Taking a break to do these things can help stop the FM burnout and reignite the desire to keep your push for promotion alive.
There you have it, a look into my life as a grown adult with a slight addiction (they don’t like that word do they?) to Football Manager but has real life to contend with first. I know there will be many others like me (I hope) that have limited game time but hopefully the above has given you some ideas on how you can fit some more FM into your life schedules and always ensure you can get that one more game in. I have always said that the only problem with Football Manager is that real life gets in the way, rightly so but it’s always nice to be able to balance both.
Cheers,
Now & Then FM.
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