E93: On playing Football Manager for the very first time and starting Season 9 in Europe

Explicit content warning

11/11/22 • 77 min

Season 9 is officially underway. The band is back together and we've added a third wheel, only this wheel has *never* played Football Manager before. What happens when you unleash a complete newbie to the world of FM?

With Shane's riches in South Africa secured safe and sound and Toulouse now a top-half team in Ligue 1, it's time to get the ball rolling on Football Manager 2023 as we get a three-way dance going for the first season of Sports Interactive's latest edition of our favourite football management simulation.

Experienced players will have a very set way of beginning in Football Manager with some of us having developed routines going all the way back to the early Championship Manager days. So how, in 2023, does it work for someone coming to the world of FM for the very first time, in what should be a competitive league, with European cup competitions and big board and supporter demands?

With little in terms of a transfer budget, gaps in squads and the potential for some great rival games, it's time to kick off Season 9!

And with eight seasons in the bag between Ken and Shane, we're introducing another member of the Scoreline team, Castlewarren's star striker (who doubles as a decent centre-half), Robbie Dowling. Be sure to say hello on Twitter @FMFShow.

If you're just joining us for the first time, thanks so much for the loan of your ears. Continue the journey afresh as we navigate season 9 or go all the way back to season 1 and catch up on our journey that started in South America, hitting England, Spain, Turkey, Italy, Scotland, France and South Africa along the way.

Contains strong language.

With little in terms of a transfer budget, gaps in squads and the potential for some great rival games, it's time to kick off Season 9!

Contains strong language.

Previous Episode

E92: Let's burn this house down - our Football Manager 2022 adventure is finally finished

Let's burn this house down - our Football Manager 2022 adventure is finally finished

It's only taken until the week before the full release of Football Manager 2023, but our Football Manager 2022 journey has come to an end.

Some people would call that impeccable timing. Others might call it tantamount to torture as the French and South African seasons come to a close.

For Ken, it's been a tough season at Toulouse. What started with bright promise in August and September spiralled into the winter before a mixed bag of results sent some hope through the squad for a revival of fortunes. With seven games left to play, the threat of relegation still needs to be nullified. Can he turn it around in the closing weeks of the season?

And for Shane, despite all the wins in the league, he's been pushed all the way by rivals Kaizer Chiefs, to the point of having six points separate the sides. He's also got the Nedbank Cup and African Champions League to still contend with in a season that extends into June. Can he turn it into a clean sweep and leave the continent and FM 22 with some added silverware?

Plus, when we get through ALL of the games, highs and lows in this week's bumper episode, we'll take a look back at our FM22 journey in total and compare notes as to how we got on.

Next Episode

E94: Portuguese preseason, a Football Manager newbie's tactical approach and xG dreams

Preseason is done and dusted in Portugal... just about, so how does our Football Manager newcomer plan his season ahead and what's impacting those decisions?

Contains strong language.
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Follow Ken @tacticalmanager
Follow Shane @sirsok1