Football Manager 2

Starting a Game

To begin the game using a controller, press the Select joystick button on the starting screen.

To begin the game using keyboard controls, press 2 on the starting screen.

Gameplay

Each match in football manager consists of two phases - Team Selection, and Match Play. Match Play shows the game over three camera views of the pitch, focusing on the area with a player that has possession of the ball.

Team Selection

Before each game, an interface is shown which allows the selection of a player for each empty position on the pitch.

The currently selected player is shown at the top of the screen in the centered rectangle.

To change the selected player, move the cursor over this box and press the Select menu item button - the box should display the text “FIRE TO QUIT”. When this text is shown, move left or right to change the screen between the center of the pitch, your team’s side of the pitch and the opponents side.

To allocate the active player to a position on the pitch, move the cursor over the desired position using the directional keys, and press the Select menu item button when the desired slot is selected.

To finish team selection and begin the game, select a player for each position on the pitch, then press the Select menu item button to end selection. Select a substitute from the remaining reserves using the left and right movement keys, then press the Select menu item button again to begin the game.

During half time, you’ll have the opportunity to re-enter team selection and modify players or use your selected substitutes. To exit half-time team selection, move the cursor to the top rectangle and press the Select menu item button when “FIRE TO QUIT” is shown.

Player Stats

Each player has a list of attributes, which can be seen in team selection and some of the mid-season prompts shown between games. The player attributes are:

• Player Name
• Player Skill
  • Player skill ranges from 3 to 9, affecting the player’s ability during each match.
  • Players that aren’t in their designated position will play worse than their skill level. For instance, a defender playing a midfield position would have a skill penalty.
• Position
  • Displays the position on the pitch where this player will work at their displayed skill level.

      G = Goalkeeper
      D = Defender
      M = Midfield
      A = Attacker/Striker
  

• Fitness
  • Indicates the player’s current fitness level. Fitness level is lowered the more games the player is chosen to play during team selection.
  • Removing a player from the pitch and leaving them in reserves for a game will increase their fitness level over time, back to the maximum of 100.
  • If the player’s fitness level reaches 50 or less, they will be unable to be selected during team selection.

Training

Between games, you have the ability to train your team, modifying the way the ball is passed around the pitch when in possession.

Passing height and length can be modified by using training - both can be increased or decreased.

The best passing distances depend on your team composition - experiment with different configurations to find the best for your team.

Sponsorships

At the beginning of each game, and the start of each season, you will be offered a series of sponsorships for your team.

The maximum sponsorship is 50,000 per division