Series How international management could be more playable

[Lee-Roy]

How International management could be so much better

*Firstly I would like to state that this is my favourite series of games and I am not at all complaining or criticising, merely putting my thoughts down on paper (you know what I mean )

During a recent conversation with Ashez we both came to a conclusion on international management - it's very basic. Something that could easily be a huge portion of the game actually comes down to just two points: picking the team and picking the tactic. That is all there is to it. Now I'm very grateful that we can do this, and it certainly helps out in the world famous 1kc. But it could be so much more. Me and Ash discussed a few ideas on what we would change and add, and he then allowed me to arrange it tidily in a lovely article to share with everyone else on Vibe. I will like to state that neither of us knows why they're not in the game or if they're possible to be in the game. This is just simply a list for everyone to think about and maybe hope for the future.

More manageable teams

This is an obvious one, and most of is know the reasons why we can't. But with an even larger database of manageable nations surely that would equal more playing time? Let's not touch on the sore subject of Germany, but there's other teams that I'm sure we'd all love to have a crack with. Who wouldn't want to compete in the ACON, wether it's as one of the favourites such as Ivory Coast, or try to tempt fate with an outsider such as Algeria? For me that would be amazing, and losing the African players in your club for the tournament would be a welcome headache for me. And that's just Africa - I haven't even touched on how amazing it would be to manage the USA or their neighbours Canada.

Arrange your own frendlies

You can't say this wouldn't be amazing. You could pit your nation against the worlds elite, or give them an ego boost by slaying the worlds minnows. It would also give you a chance to test yourselves agains similar teams once you've had your WC group drawn. But for me, the best feature of arranging your own friendlies is that you can ensure that don't clash with your clubs fixtures Finally, I reckon there's a group of us who would love to be able to arrange England v Germany rather than have to wait and hope it pops up :lol:

Your own training reigimes

One thing that really puts me off playing a national team-only save is the fact that every player on the game would be on the default training. Even if it was just a temporary stat boost during international breaks I would love to be able to implement some form of intensive training. It would've especial handy if managing one of the lower rated teams such as Wales or Ireland.

U21 teams and B teams

What an addition this would be! I could spend the whole 30 years managing the England U21's and that's no lie. Being in charge of my nations youngsters, grooming them and preparing then for the worlds biggest stage...that's the dream It could even be the stepping stone for lesser known managers who only have experience in the lower leagues who want to skip the top flight and are looking for a way to get into international management. Either way, this would be a whole new dimension to the game.

Older players retiring

I know that the game starts off with retired players, but as far as I'm aware, there are no further retirements until the player retires from the game completely. Although this would put us at a disadvantage it would make the game more realistic and it's much needed IMO.

Interacting with players other than your own

Let me explain it. I'm managing Liverpool and England. I'd like to be able to make a statement (as England manager) to tell the world how useless Tom Cleverly is. Wether it's to motivate him for future games, or to unsettle him to the advantage of my club, this is what I want. Considering there's currently no player interaction as a national manager I believe it would be very welcome.

Implementing the same rules that would allow Janazaj to play for England

Not much to say on this one really. As a club manager, if you could buy a player who is uncapped, have him playing in your country for the required amount of years and then be able to call him up that would be quite cool.

And that's enough from me, I'm sure the rest of you would like to weigh in, so thanks for reading. Let me know what you think of my suggestions and be sure to leave your own.

[Archie Graveluth]

Good article. My thoughts:

 

1. More manageable teams: I've come to realize that the reason to have A or B's national team available means having at least 50 players of that nationality. To have another national team available would mean that you'd need at least 50 Algerians or Ivorians.
2. Arrange your own friendlies: This would be a welcome addition to national teams AND clubs, but to be hones, it would be just for flair.
3. Your own training regimes: This would be particularly useful if you wanted to manage only a national team (and no club). As it is now it's fairly boring.
4. U21 and B teams: The best point in your article. Would be great to start using those 17/18 year olds.
5. Older players retiring: I assume it's from the national team? Would make it more realistic
6. Interacting: Would be also useful as means of motivating a player. Perhaps make it so you could only interact with those you call up or else that could be exploited  
7. Different nationalities: I miss this really. I wanted to use Diego de Girolamo before, for England but he would always want to play for Italy. I had a player from a very unknown country to want to play for them instead of a major european team. 

I'd really want number 4 and 7.

[anfieldsquirrel]

Pretty much agree with all of this, international management isn't a big thing to me anymore like it used to be when I first started, and I feel adding some of these suggestions would be very helpful in playing the game.

Might send a link to this in a message to Marc on twitter

[Ashez]

International management always feels like a side quest and you never get that feeling of it being main stream. Let's face it the biggest jobs and challenges come from international management so why does this key feature feel so empty and unfleshed out? I'm currently playing a ITN only save and it's boring as hell!

I agree with everything you've said Leroy and I think international management needs a massive revamp for 2015, it should be able to stand along side club careers IMO, especially as it's paid DLC! I know you can unlock it but as it's paid DLC surely this feature should offer more than 20 extra matches a season?

The only improvement I want you haven't mentioned is being able to holiday to the squad selection message and not the match as that's just pointless! You holiday to speed up the process and when you get to the match you find out you have some joke AI team and not the players you want.

[Lee-Roy]

Cheers, glad you guys are on the same wavelength as me

Ash - I forgot the point you mentioned. Tbh I forgot as I haven't played intl management this year except to get the unlockable. I'll eventually get round to it during a 1kc but that'll be the only reason. Until we get the revamp you mentioned it's not my favourite part of the game.

Grave - I remember you mentioning Diego last year, that lead me to a lot of testing on that front and it's not pretty results

AS - if you're tweeting, tweet ASH'S SKD to KD

[Ameer]

The best thing about the Januzaj rule is that you would be able to manage uncapped Germans under other nationalities.

[Jens]

I'm very very veeeeery much against this last one. I strongly believe that players should only be able to play for either the country they were born in or their parents' country. For the other nations there are no valid arguments except cheap opportunism. Januzaj hasn't even been formed in England, so why on earth should he be allowed to play for them?

[Ashez]

I'm very very veeeeery much against this last one. I strongly believe that players should only be able to play for either the country they were born in or their parents' country. For the other nations there are no valid arguments except cheap opportunism. Januzaj hasn't even been formed in England, so why on earth should he be allowed to play for them?

I have to admit I completely agree with that and that is my personal opinion, however this isn't the case within football as many countries like Spain and Italy have been abusing this system for years so for the sake of realism it should be added, then it's up to the player to put their beliefs into practice.

[Lee-Roy]

I'm very very veeeeery much against this last one. I strongly believe that players should only be able to play for either the country they were born in or their parents' country. For the other nations there are no valid arguments except cheap opportunism. Januzaj hasn't even been formed in England, so why on earth should he be allowed to play for them?

In the real world no. But if it's happening irl, why not add it to a game to make it more realistic?

[Archie Graveluth]

I'm very very veeeeery much against this last one. I strongly believe that players should only be able to play for either the country they were born in or their parents' country. For the other nations there are no valid arguments except cheap opportunism. Januzaj hasn't even been formed in England, so why on earth should he be allowed to play for them?

 

I also agree with that. One thing is players who have both nationalities and you can call them up to either of them. Getting a nationality in game should only work for, as an example, work permits for England.

 

But I don't agree with the bold part. I'll give you two examples. Deco and Pepe. They got to Portugal before they were even 18. Although this example isn't quite good since Brazil and Portugal have a very close bond between the two countries. Bruma, from Galatasaray wasn't born in Portugal but he's been here since he was a kid. Rolando, Bosingwa, etc. Several Portuguese players who weren't born in Portugal and some don't have Portuguese parents.

 

Anyway, to sum it up, for me it would be like this:

 

- In the game player has two nationalities, he can be called up for both of them and it's up to him who he wants to play for (perhaps a hidden attribute?)

- After any non-EU player plays for some seasons (is it 5 seasons to get EU citizenship?) he can get a EU citizenship) and therefore, no need for work permit.

[Lee-Roy]

Something that has occurred to me that should be on this list. Declaring an interest in a national job.

For example, you're doing a 1kc and need the Portugal job. The Portuguese manager is getting mediocre results but shows no sign of budging. Then, statistically the best manager in the game (you) steps forward and let's his interest in the job be known. It would clear up a few issues we have such as domestic manager bias.

[dirtboy]

I love international management ob FM PC, so it would be great to see it improved

[Fozz_Quaker]

The one thing I would like to see in the game in general is backroom staff, in an INT save I would love to be able to send an Ass Man out to watch my internationals and report back on there form, fitness etc...

I would also love to arrange my own friendlies, games against Ghana, Algeria, Egypt and South Korea don't appeal to me, as I normally a British INT team I would preferably like to play other British Teams and top European and South American Teams

[JustM1kePlays]

I have only just come across this. An I really wish SI would take all of Lee-Roys points. I love international management but it's so boring on FMH