Everyone is addicted to video games at one time or another. Some of us prefer shooting games, which place a heavy emphasis on reflexes and reaction. However, for those of us who are in love with sports games, we all know that they additionally require expertise in game management and coaching skills.
EA sport's FIFA is the virtual version of perhaps the greatest sport on the planet, soccer. The highlight of this game is, of course, the manager game mode. Using these tips, I have turned half star rated teams with absolutely 0 dollars to start with into elite teams worthy of challenging teams like Man U and Chelsea. So, without farther wasting your time with a lame introduction, here is my system for success.
Getting Started
If you happen to want to start with a 0 bank balance, then the first thing you do is bring in more talent from the transfer market. In order to keep your transfer fees down, the first thing you do is head towards the free agency list. When your team has players rated 40 overall across the board, those 60 overall free agents can look like superstars, and, of course, they don't cost any transfer money. Keep in mind, the number one rule in the transfer market is to NEVER buy anyone over the age of 27. It won't do you much good to waste money on a guy who will retire 2 years later.
Tip: If you feel up to “bending the rules” a little, a great way to get a few extra million bucks added to your budget is to sign some of the best free agents and sell them right away.
The Board
One of the most annoying things about FIFA 08 is the ever demanding board committee. When you're starting that low, the last thing you want to do is to get the board mad otherwise you're gone. The first thing you need to know is to always try to do a good job on the interviews. The other thing is you need to know which board expectations you should try to meet, and which ones you'll be better off abandoning all together. My rule of thumb is, anything dealing with the finical budget then ignore. That means any thing about reducing the weekly salary, limiting the money spent in the transfer season, etc. The ones you really need to pay close attention to is the ones expecting you to finish at a certain place by the end of the season. Also, it doesn't hurt to do the little things like contract extensions and bringing in certain players, etc.
Tip: Don't let those annoying board letters get to you!
Staff Upgrades
One pretty cool feature of the game that's unique to FIFA is the ability to upgrade your staff members. When managing your team, it's important to know which staff upgrades are more important then others. The most important position by far is the negotiator. Once you get a sufficient amount of money, be sure to upgrade your negotiator all the way. With a bad negotiator, it could cost as much two 2-3 times to money needed to bring in a new player then it would with a level 10 one. The next one is your medical staff since the difference between a tired player and a fully energized one. As for your goalie, defender, mid field, and forward coaches, don't worry about them until later when you've got the luxury to burn a few million bucks. They don't really do much for you and it's not worth it early on.
Tip: As long as you've got a stadium manager at level 5 or above, don't bother upgrading them since it's not worth the 20-30 million dollars needed to upgrade them.
Managing Your Squad
The first thing you need do is find a formation that you like if you decide to actually play the games. Personally, I like a heavy defense and a counter attack so I go with a 5-2-3 formation. Obviously if you're a passing type person then more midfielders would help. The other thing is I would like to point out is although most professional clubs carry like 30 people, it's not such a good idea on FIFA. You don't want to have to pay the weekly salary of all those people who are probably never even going to play anyways. I normally keep about 1 backup for every 2 starters (it could be one for 3, or 2 for 3 if you have an odd number of players in one position) and then about 1 or 2 players that can play any position.
