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5-4-1 of Helenio Herrera for FM 14

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Brief History

Angelo Moratti is a wealthy Italian businessman, maybe the richest one and he controls Internazionale. He is about to spend a fortune, but the results didn't come. Juve and Milan are dominating in the Italian Football scene and nobody gives Inter any hope. Moratti is desperate and according to the journalist Gianni Brera he even considered to disappear and commit suicide "Gianni, my life is fed up of watching the victories of Milan and Juve, I want to put an end". Everybody was shocked "Moratti lascia l'Inter" were the rumours of the press. Moratti leaves Inter. Unbelievable failure, for the richest tycoon in the country.

That season a promising French-Argentinian coach named Helenio Herrera was shining in Spain. He earned a reputation as "El Mago", "El Maestro", "El Transformario" - Wizard, Master, Transformer he made miraculous work in all the clubs that he trained despite having modest players and the clubs' restrictions. Back then you couldn't make online scouting or unlimited transfers, you couldn't find databases with players and especially the last one was the advantage of Herrera. He has created a secret network of people who were informing him about everything in European football. Even now, this detail remains his best hidden secret. The rumours say that he had installed 4 ex-footballers in France and Spain and they were working as journalists or coaches so all the technical details were coming directly to his ears. Of course he has paid them, as well as his network in Buenos Aires -they followed the same pattern- so Herrera was always ahead in the news.

In July of 1960 Moratti made his last effort to revive Inter. He traveled secretly in Madrid, masqueraded and he started immediately conversations with Herrera. Helenio wasn't interested so much about Inter!! He claimed that Spain is his second home and that Inter will never wake up. Angelo Moratti ordered the hotel administration to lock the doors everywhere around the building "for confidential reasons". Herrera acted aggressively and he wanted to call the police, he started to shout calling the workers dirty bastards. He stood up and he raised up his finger. Immediately the bodyguards of Moratti, sat him down again. Then, Inter history changed forever. Angelo Moratti, offered him a check which made him the most expensive coach in football history, 4 times more expensive than the 2nd well paid coach. Herrera refused, Moratti replied "no way, you have one hour to go to your room and then to write me the amount that you want, the deal will be done". Herrera after half an hour came down with a huge smile. Moratti saw the paper, he shook his head sadly and he said ok then, let's see that how is going to work. The contract was for 2 years and his payment was 5 times higher than the previous offer. Herrera made his fortune, Inter as well.

These info are from the autobiography of Gianni Brera who made the connection between Moratti and Herrera. Brera gained a home in Milano for that deal. Don't ask who paid for that. The same story or similar happened with the son of Angelo, Massimo when he approached Mourinho. The ending was the same. At least Herrera stayed 8 years in helm of Inter, special Charlatane will change even his wife in some years, maybe he has done it already, I don't swear.

Tactical Analysis

The first man who systematized 5-3-2 in his modern version was Nereo Rocco, arch rival of Herrera. Helenio couldn't cope with Milan and he admitted that such teams need poison in the head. Herrera took immediately the decision to form a tough group with fast players, fast counters attack but precise passing game. He loved fast football no matter the defensive schemes, "speed is making headache to the opponents" used to say. He had initially 5 players in the deep - 5 in a line - another 4 in a line and one striker. But he saw that 4 in the line cause him upset in midfield, too many gaps. So he made the 4 midfielders tighter in a restricted zone of 35 meters in the width. Faccheti, his left full back, took over the whole defensive duty. The midfielders were covering the full backs only in the defensive duties. In attack, every player had to express his versatility. The second revolutionary action was the mixed marking system. 5 in a line cannot play man-to-man. So only the two stoppers were playing man-to-man marking. Armado Picchi was the libero, sweeper and whole team including the striker were moving together like a chain - catena - Catenaccio. Catenaccio means chained football, nothing more, nothing less. Its meaning is positive because it means systematic approach and cohesion -tough like chain-approach.

The FM14 Tactic

Briefly to refer, I won everything with Velez Sarsfield, I restored Man Utd immediately after just a single season and I won all the derbies that I played clearly, most of them by big margin. I will not explain everything, I leave the images to speak by themselves.



But when you are jealous and un-educated you underestimate everything that you don't like.

Back then, it was a myth which exists even today. "When you play defensively you are fascist, when you play attacking you are left progressive, when you play somewhere in the middle you are central politically orientated".

I definitely call it "Bullshit of the Century".

All Rights Reserved

PS - If you don't like it, don't use it. If you have something to say, just show it with actions through implementation. I will not show any tolerance towards any comment or critic. Learn to work and to apply before you criticize everything and everyone.

PS2 - According to numbers and statistics, no one else on this site has presented and analysed more tactics than me. All of these, in the front page... not in the shadows of some dirty and low-level forums.

DF11 Megapack 2014 (NEW)

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Feel free to join us

NEW DF11 MEGAPACK 2014 AVAILABLE NOW!


This DF11 Megapack contain over 64,000 faces for all players in 67 playable leagues spread in 39 playable countries.

It's a portrait style facepack that initiated production since October 2010.
The DF11 crew do release regular updates to keep their faces as much up to date as can
be over the last 4 years.

The player pictures are 260 x 310 pixels big, which is larger than the default size (180 x 180).

This is a stand-alone pack intended for use with Football Manager 2014.
These faces will also work with any other version of Football Manager!


click picture for larger view


DF11 MEGAPACK - PREVIEW


HOW TO DOWNLOAD THIS MEGAPACK?


1 - Be sure u have a torrent client installed on your computer and at least 6 GB free space on board.
We recommend Utorrent as torrent client as 'Vuze' sometimes not react to this download.


2 - You need 6GB free diskspace on board of your computer

3 - Please help us to keep this torrent alive!

If u like to do something in return for our work, please
set the preference save file folder in your torrent program as:
documents\sports interactive\football manager 2014\graphics

That way you are helping us by seeding the DF11 Megapack.


4 - Your (torrent) download will start after clicking the red 'DOWNLOAD NOW' button on top.

click picture for larger view




DF11 panels by 'ArtDekDok'

These panels and instructions are working only combined with the regular standard FM2014 skin

DF11 Skins - Plug & Play

Just add these skins to your FM 'Skins' folder.
_________________________________________________________________________________


S&D Waved flags

(Author - necjeff/DF11 Facepacks)

The DF11 Ready skins are extended with new S&D Waved flags.
A complete set of flags for all countries over the world.

These flags are compatible to work side by side with your own logopack.
Just delete the 'normal' or 'large sized' flag folder to find out what you like most ingame.



If you don't want to see these flags in game just go to:
--> name of skin\graphics\flags and delete the 'flags' folder.



'Extra'
How to create a config file

Check the spoiler to find out.


Regular updates

By releasing this new DF11 Megapack and the end of the current football season,
our updates will take a bit longer as usual.

The next period (until after summer) we are planning to release larger updates.
This will take more time, but do decrease the amount of short updates.
That way we are trying to keep our topic as clear as possible for everyone,
without dozens of shortly updates.

Once downloaded this Megapack you can always make a request for missing ingame faces. Please post a request by adding;
- Name of player
- Unique FM player ID
- Link to picture

Special word of thanks

Over the last 18 months this DF11 Megapack is downloaded 230.000 times at FMSCOUT only!
The DF11 crew would like to thank FMSCOUT for the ability to share their work.

Last but not least, the crew would like to thank all DF11 users.
Without our users this facepack would quickly die...... Thank you!



Credits

DF11 Facepacks for FM14 is created by necjeff & davvee over at Managers United (Dutch Fansite).

Contributors over the years:
necjeff (Author), Spurs12345 (Development staff), Lubo, Bm, FGIbra, Lokypedro, Haas67, Jackioo, Hixxo, El Chambo, Marklf, Thijskeeper, milka, Slashydutchie, ArthurM, Bingbangboem, El Nino, new0rder, Knibbe.
Respect to all of you!




OLD information: Updates compatible with DF11 Megapack (original) 2013

__________________________________________________________________

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The Football Manager Whizzkids 2014 Database

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The Football Manager Whizzkids are back again with another database for the new Football Manager game, in recent times weve had over 140,000 downloads in 3 years and were hard at work again to make it the best, most up-to-date database going around.

We release once every week so the link here will be updated. Hope you all enjoy it as much as our 9500 Facebook likers do. I hope you give our Facebook page a like, thanks from all the admins - James, Martin, Andy and Edvard.

Database updated as of 8th June 2014.

Our Facebook page

Installation Instructions

Step 1

Open the "Files" folder.
Then move the downloaded .dbc file in your Football Manager 2014 editor data folder:

Win Vista/7: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\editor data\
Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\editor data\
Mac OS X: /Users/<username>/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2014/editor data/

Create the folder editor data if it doesn't exist.

Step 2

Start a new game.

WC2014 Argentina Preview

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Argentina, historically are one of the most talented nations to ever grace the game. Currently ranked 5th in the world by FIFA, players like Diego Maradona, Daniel Passarella and managers such as Cesar Louis Menotti are just a glimpse of what this famed nation has served to the world of football, and there is even more coming!

In Group F, Argentina have been handed an unlikely easier draw than other nations and should qualify fairly easily. Iran, Nigeria and Bosnia & Herzegovina will all face up to the South American giants in the group stages, and all will probably go into their fixtures against Alejandro Sabella's side as underdogs.

World Cup History



Argentina can be classed as one of the most successful nations to ever compete in the World Cup. They've won two titles and appeared 15 times at the tournament, a pretty decent record. Despite the powers of Spain, Germany and Brazil, expectations will still be high on Argentina to deliver a performance of the highest quality.

Star Players



The obvious attraction and star man of this Argentina squad is Barcelona marquee Lionel Messi. The multiple Ballon D'Or winner has always been criticised for his perceived poor performances for club. But Messi, capped 85 times by his nation, has a point to prove, and he will be out to prove his critics and fire Argentina to glory.



Another star of Argentina's formidable attacking force is Manchester City frontman Sergio Agüero. The ex-Independiente and Atlético Madrid striker is one of the world's most talented goalscorers and ever since his move to England he has only continued to grow into a world class player. If he fires on all cylinders, it gives Argentina another outlet.



Completing this unbelievable attacking trio is Napoli poacher Gonzalo Higuain. Ever since his summer move from Spanish giants Real Madrid to Napoli in search of first team football, Higuain has turned into a goal machine. If he is to continue this rapid rise in form we could well see another star emerge at the World Cup.

Ones To Watch



He may not be an unknown name, in fact, he is completely the opposite. Ezequiel Garay has gained lots of plaudits for his outstanding season at Portuguese giants SL Benfica. The centre back has been linked with Premier League heavyweights Manchester United and is one of the most up and coming players of his position at this moment.

The Manager


Argentina manager Alejandro Sabella has been gifted with one of the most talented forward lines out of any squad in the World Cup and he'll have more firepower than any other nation at the World Cup. As well as this, Sabella has addressed the problems in defence and has built not only a side that can score, but can defend as well.

Legends

Argentina is a treasure chest when it comes to footballing talent. New eras of youngsters arise from the youth systems at notable clubs such as River Plate, Boca Juniors and Racing every season and it won't be long before the next generation of Argentine footballers is churned out.

Legends of the past include Diego Maradona, sometimes referred to as the greatest of all time, Gabriel Bastituta, their record goalscorer and other highly recognised players such as Daniel Passarella, Ossie Ardiles and Ricardo Bochini.

Prediction

Firstly, the media verdict. Argentina have flown under the radar recently regarding predictions, but the general feeling is they have the potential to make at the bare minimum the quarter finals, more likely the semis.

My own prediction is, like the pundits out there, the semi finals. They have the firepower, the solid defence and they have more than enough backup for a Plan B. They should take their group easily, and also get around the second round fairly comfortably. If they get a little stroke of luck, they could well possibly make it to the final.



Links

FIFA.com Argentina

Argentina FA Official Site

WC2014 Cameroon Preview

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Cameroon have played in seven World Cups to date. With the eighth looking to come at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. The best of the lot is arguably their 1990 World Cup campaign in which they beat defending Champions Argentina and losing to Romania 2-1 and the Soviet Union 4-0. They did qualify becoming the only side to ever top a World Cup finals group with a negative goal difference. They beat Colombia in the Quarter finals after 2 goals from the great, Roger Milla in extra time, but losing out to England in the Quarter Finals after a late goal from Gary Lineker to level the scores before the game was up. Lineker then scored a 105th minute goal to put the African Nation out of the World Cup.

Cameroon this year will be in Group A with Brazil, Croatia and Mexico. Three very hard teams to go up against. Brazil having won 5 World Cups and tipped to win the 6th in their back yard will be the toughest of the bunch and are destined to take apart the Cameroon National Team. Mexico and Croatia also two solid teams when they want to be, so this will not be easy for Cameroon.

World Cup History



Cameroon have never won the World Cup. In fact, they have never done so well. The greatest tournament of the lot is probably the 1990 campaign as described above. Since then, they have failed to reach the knockout stages of the tournament and will be looking to defy the odds this year and end that unwanted run.

Key Players



Samuel Eto'o will be Cameroon's main threat at the heart of the attack. Even at 34 years of age he still quite pacey and still possesses final touch to an attack. The finish. If the defence can pull together and supply him with some good passes he shouldn't have any trouble in finishing for a goal. He is also the captain for his country.



Alex Song will be another threat for them. He will be one of those midfielders supplying Eto'o and yes, he does posses a good pass! He will be crucial in the defence also, he'll probably be playing in between the two defenders covering for each of them when needed.

Players to Watch



Nkoulou will be at the heart of the defence. at just 23 years old he is Cameroon's first choice centre back on the team sheet and no wonder after some really promising performances with Marseille. This kid could be really good this year and you should definitely keep an eye on him!



Matip is also quite a solid defender and is only 21 years old. He plays for Schalke in the Bundesliga and he looks really promising for the future as many of us FM players will know! Don't be surprised to see him and Nkoulou pair up in the starting line up this year. They are solid!

The Manager


Their manager, Volkar Finke isn't the greatest manager in the World. At 65 years old he has won just two competitions in his managerial history being the German second division twice with Freiburg in 1993 and then once again with the same team 10 years later. He definitely has experience in winning things and also being successful but no where near the scale of the World Cup. He'll need to be at his best to get his side perform this year.

Prediction

Cameroon in my opinion have quite a talented squad which is a balance between young and older players. The centre of the defence I think is the strongest part of the team with Matip and Nkoulou likely to play there however their wing backs are quite weak with Ndjeng and Bedimo either side so it's not the strongest defence. The attack is possibly the best part of the team with Eto'o and Aboubakar both up top. The midfield is slightly average but it has some players that know their football and can definitely play. If Cameroon can keep solid at the back and supply the strikers well they can make a bid to qualify for the knockouts. However, I am not so sure they have what it takes and I think a last place or third place with Mexico is likely.



FMNutters 2014 Transfer Update

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Hi guys this our first time we have posted our update on any site as we only stick to our group on Facebook, but with fantastic feedback we are now releasing it on here.

We have updated every playable and non playable leagues from all over the world. you will not find a database that covers A to Z of nations leagues Plus over 825 non-league transfers in England, Scotland and a few other nations. With over 26000 changes to the database, transfers, managers, coaches, loans, free transfers, retired player changes.

This update has promotions and relegations, also has new cup winners and runners up.
also new teams for Champions league and Europa league, there will be a second part to the database as some leagues haven't finished yet.

Minor problems have been fixed


Each release we make on our Facebook group we have great feedback on our work. If you download our database and find something missing please feel free to let us know.
please enjoy.

Updated: 9th June

Installation Instructions

Step 1

Open the "Files" folder.
Then move the downloaded .dbc file in your Football Manager 2014 editor data folder:

Win Vista/7: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\editor data\
Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\editor data\
Mac OS X: /Users/<username>/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2014/editor data/

Please enjoy.

Control, Command And Conquer By James Beedie

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My tactic is employed to keep the ball at all costs, then breaking away using my wide men as much as possible. With an attacking 4 and 2 CWB with bags of pace and technical ability, this tactic brings goals, goals, goals, and plenty of assists from what is effectively 4 wingers. Not often, but sometimes it can effect your defence, due to this i recommend having a 2nd tactic for big games such as Champions League or away matches in with your are not favourite.

Any questions, feel free to ask, i use this site on a regular basis and will reply ASAP...

Make sure to check out my very popular Football Manager related Facebook page - The Football Manager Whizzkids -

5-3-2 Feyenoord

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I recreated the 5-3-2 system Feyenoord used in this season for Football Manager 2014. This is the same tactic the Dutch squad is going to use on the world cup 2014 in Brasil.

Koeman:
"With this system you can build a little more defensive security, while you can also take offensive initiative."

Three centre backs, your backs play high, there are two midfielders who play for the defense, preferably an auditor and a slightly deeper forward, in front of them trequartista and two strikers up front.

This tactic results in a very dynamic style. Players are constantly searching for new ways to beat the defence. Short combinations all the way through the middle or wingbacks with a crazy cross to the strikers.


WC2014 Australia Preview

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Australia is a country dominated by other codes of football. Australian rules, rugby union and rugby league dominate the news regardless of whether the football is on or not. After some huge interest in their qualification in 2006, the public has seemingly left the bandwagon and Australia will go to Brazil with little public support. Then again, the odds aren't exactly in their favour.

Australia have been drawn into Group B , the proverbial 'Group of Death', alongside Spain, Holland and Chile. The former two were the teams that played off in the final last time around, and Chile is full of capable stars. Australia will have to deal with some of football's biggest names, including Andres Iniesta, Arturo Vidal and Robin van Persie. It will be a daunting task for the regenerating Australians, and it will be unlikely they come out unscathed.

World Cup History

In 1974, Australia became the first team to qualify for the World Cup from Oceania, although they failed to score a goal and picked up a solitary point against Chile. 32 years later, Australia finally returned and made it to the round of 16, getting knocked out by eventual winners Italy. 2010 was not a cup to remember as they failed to advance out of the group stages. Australia are a very inexperienced World Cup nation, with just 3 appearances and just 1 with any success.

Key Players



Australia have a very rounded squad, and lack the firepower of most World Cup teams. However, there are some diamonds in the rough. Australia's gem is Tim Cahill , a legend of the side and arguably the greatest Socceroo of all time. Cahill can play through the middle of the park and in an attacking midfield role but he will probably be used up front due to lack of experience. He has amazing heading skills and will cause headaches for the opposition.



Taking over his mantle in central midfield is Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak . Jedinak has had a good season in the Premier League and will come to Brazil one of Australia's more elite players. He is a good passer and is a great all round defensive midfielder or central midfielder.

In defense, the usual suspects of Luke Wilkshire and Lucas Neill have been surprisingly omitted so Australia's defense is very inexperienced. Australia have barely any quality players, so they will have to play out of their skins to stop goals.



With the recent retirement of Mark Schwarzer, Club Brugge keeper Matthew Ryan is now Australia's No.1. He has had an amazing year in Belgium and will come to the Cup in scintillating form. He has good reflexes and will be heavily relied on by his teammates for clean sheets.

Players to Watch


Australia have been regenerating their squad recently, slowly removing the older stock and inserting young prospects. Some of these are already playing good football in Europe and could be livewires at the cup.



One such player is Ben Halloran, a right winger for 2.Bundesliga club Dusseldorf. Halloran will replace Robbie Kruse on the right. He is a developing player, but could make an impact.



In attack, Tim Cahill could well not be needed as A-League Golden Boot Adam Taggart is on the plane to Brazil. Taggart is a prodigious talent who had a breakout season, and if form is anything to go by, he should be kicking a few goals in June.

The Manager


At the helm of the Socceroos is Ange Postecoglou, arguably the greatest A-League manager ever. He led Brisbane Roar to 2 consecutive championships, and won a premiership. He has been labelled Australia's messiah, and is a welcome change from the ageing Europeans we have seen in charge recently. Postecoglou is not as good as some of the European managers, but is a fairly good manager and should do Australia well.

Unavailable due to injury

The injury bug has hit Australia hard, with their best player Robbie Kruse on the sidelines with a serious knee injury. He has been in lethal form for Bayer Leverkusen and will be missed dearly by the already outclassed Aussies. Young Celtic playmaker Tom Rogic was cut from the 30 man squad due to fitness issues, whilst a similar fate has befallen striker Josh Kennedy, who kicked the goal that sent Australia to Brazil.

Prediction

Australia has been labelled by the media as the worst team at the Cup, and general consensus agrees. Australia is the middle of a rebuilding process, with old stars on the way out and newcomers in. The World Cup has come at the wrong time for the Socceroos and this new look squad will have no match for the might of Spain, Holland and Chile.

In my opinion, this could be a dark month for Australians, and we will probably see Matthew Ryan picking the ball out of the net far too often. Australia simply do not have the class and skill to do well at such a competitive competition.

WC2014 Greece Preview

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Despite not being tipped as one of the favourites for the cup, Greece has won competitions before when being unfavoured, but can history repeat in Brazil in 2014 as it did in Portugal in 2004. A decade on and Greece have the chance to do something big in Brazil, but many people are saying otherwise.

Having been placed in Group C alongside Colombia, Cote D’Ivoire and Japan, they may not be expected to qualify for the knockout rounds, but as with any World Cup, anything could happen.

History


Greece is not a nation with a strong history of success in the World Cup, with them only ever appearing in the group stages. They have however won tournaments before, and as a footballing nation seem to be growing, so they could be a chance to make their country proud.

Key Players



As a member of the ever improving and impressing Borussia Dortmund side that has pushed Bayern for the title in the last few seasons, you could say that Sokratis Papastathopoulos will be one of the key players for Ehtniki in Brazil. With 50 caps to his name already, his international stock is growing, and so is his importance to his national team.



Despite having a very poor campaign with Fulham after joining from Olyampiakos in January, and struggling for game time since he joined, the world cup could provide a good opportunity for Kostas Mitroglou to put that all behind him and show the coaching staff at Fulham what he can really do, as well as showcasing himself for a potential move should it materialise. His goals should be important for Greece, and he has the talent to cause his opposition damage should he play to his full potential.

Players to watch



Whilst not possessing the stock of fellow defender Sokratis Papasthathopoulos, Kostas Manolas has the potential to provide a good showing in Brazil. The Olympiakos defender is a very strong footballer, and will only add to the already strong defence that ethniki possess. Brazil 2014 could be his chance to show himself to the world, and gain a move to one of the big leagues in Europe.

The Manager


Whilst not being a well known manager, Fernando Santos has managed to get Greece to the World Cup, and deserves a chance to showcase his talents on the biggest stage. Whether or not he has the talent to get Greece any further than the group stage remains to be seen, but whatever he does in Brazil can only be positive for both himself and the team.

Prediction

Many people don’t expect Greece to make it out of the group stage, with their group featuring a few strong nations in Japan, Colombia and Cote D’Ivoire. With that said however, they may not be a total write off, and could be competing for a third place position in their group.


The Squad

Goalkeepers: Orestis Karnezis (Granada), Panagiotis Glykos (PAOK), Stefanos Kapino (Panathinaikos)
Defenders: Kostas Manolas, Jose Holebas (both Olympiakos), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Borussia Dortmund), Vangelis Moras (Verona), Giorgos Tzavellas (PAOK), Loukas Vyntra (Levante), Vasilis Torosidis (Roma)
Midfielders: Alexandros Tziolis (Kayserispor), Andreas Samaris, Giannis Maniatis (both Olympiakos), Kostas Katsouranis (PAOK), Giorgos Karagounis (Fulham), Panagiotis Tachtsidis (Torino), Giannis Fetfatzidis (Genoa), Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, Panagiotis Kone (both Bologna)
Forwards: Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK), Giorgos Samaras (Celtic), Kostas Mitroglou (Fulham), Fanis Gekas (Konyaspor)

WC2014 Ghana Preview

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The Black Stars have been the most successful African nation in world football in major competitions. Last World Cup, they got to the quarter-finals before unluckily losing to Uruguay on penalties. Their attacking personal are very talented, and have a strong core. A mix of experienced players from the last World Cup such as Michael Essien and Sully Muntari and younger stars such as Andre Ayew. Their midfield is their strongest area and any side will find too hard to break through it. They should definitely not be ruled out of their group, despite many pitting it as the ‘Group of Death’, and are very capable of beating the big teams when they are on form.

World Cup History



Ghana are one of the newest countries on the world stage, having only qualified for the three most recent World Cup’s, including Brazil 2014. After being the only African team to get past the group stages in 2006, they were hailed by many onlookers, especially after they saw they had the lowest average age of any team in the competition. In 2010, they went one better, reaching the quarter finals before a controversial Luis Suarez moment denied them the victory against Uruguay. They have both the skill and experience at club level, however, for many of their squad, this will be their first major world competition, so it is crucial they manage their nerves as they hope to out-do their previous runs in the competition.

Key Players



Like all the other teams in the World Cup, Ghana’s hopes rest on a few select players, who will be expected to carry their nation’s hopes on their shoulders. Schalke midfielder, Kevin-Prince Boateng is one of these players. The versatile 26 year old has had spells playing for AC Milan and Tottenham, before he moved to Germany, and has shone for his club’s consistently. Known for his adaptability and all-round talent, he has only played 12 times for his nation, but he will hope to make himself known on a worldwide scale with good performances in this competition.



Andre Ayew is another player Ghana hopes performs well. The 24 year old winger is experienced at this level, having got 48 caps for his country, and out wide, he has shown his prowess. Having played for OM his whole career, he has made himself a well-known name in France, famous for his hard work, both offensively and defensively, as well as his quick feet. He will expect to be one of Ghana’s primary sources of assists.



Sulley Muntari is Ghana’s most experienced player, and at 29, this will most likely be his last World Cup, meaning he will want to leave a good impression. The well-travelled 29 year old has formed a formidable partnership in the centre of midfield for the Black Stars alongside Michael Essien, which many have cited as one of the main reasons Ghana have enjoyed such quick success on this scale. The industrious defensive midfielder’s presence is not only vital on the pitch, but he will have a major effect off the pitch as well, helping the younger players in the squad.

Players to Watch



Former Porto star, Cristian Atsu had a very successful African Cup of Nations, and he will hope to follow that up with some good performances here, on an even bigger stage. Still young, the 21 year old will have to manage his nerves well, and after a good season on loan to Vitesse from Chelsea, he will want to continue his form here. His creativity and flair have been exciting for both his club and country, and if he has a good tournament, he could help Ghana do well.



Brother of Andre, Jordan Ayew is a player who could find himself starting for Ghana, and he is one to watch. A raw talent, the 22 year old is also at OM, but after not getting much game time on loan at other clubs, there is a concern about his playing level. He was still chosen, and will be the main backup to the country’s top scorer, Asamoah Gyan. However, if Gyan were to get injured, or his form was not great in the opening game, Ayew could be chosen for a place in the first team. Keep an eye out for him, as the clinical finisher could make a mark on the outcome of Ghana’s group, and competition as a whole.

The Manager


A former Ghanain player, James Kwesi Appiah will manage Ghana for this competition. Appointed in 2012, Appiah led them to 4th place in the Africa Cup of Nations, and also became the first black manager to get the side qualified for a World Cup. This is the manager’s first managerial role, after he was assistant manager of the side in 2010, and so many are still unsure about his qualities, but his attacking style seems to have won some critics and fans over.

Prediction

Despite their impressive runs in this competition in previous years, I believe it will be unlikely for them to upset Germany or Portugal to reach the knockout rounds, primarily due to their poor defence, which I don’t see being able to fend off the likes of Thomas Muller and Cristiano Ronaldo. I still think they will finish above the USA, with their experienced midfield playing a huge role for them. Ultimately, however, I predict they will leave Brazil disappointed, and it is likely that they will undergo a huge squad revamp, with many of their stars such as Michael Essien and Asamoah Gyan reaching the end of their career’s. Hence, this will be a good opportunity for their young players such as Cristian Atsu to get good experience under their belt of playing in a World Cup, and hopefully players like him can help mould the new generation of Black Stars which will try to compete in Russia in 2018.

English Lower Leagues Level 12 Database for FM14

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Before I start I want people to be aware that Voasy copied our/my database I myself created level 11 and level 12. Voasy has since been banned from various FM fansites because we at FMNutters proved that it was my own work and that he copied our work. So please guys beware that Voasy is a fake when it comes to making lower league databases. The guys on here can confirm that too.

With this database, you can manage in the lower leagues of England down to level 12. This is the only database that goes so far down the English football pyramid. It includes County Cups, as well as an expanded FA Cup with rounds for levels 1-11. Scroll down to see exactly which leagues are included.

Released: 1 Dec 2013 - Level 12
Updated: 21 April 2014 - Updated for 14.3.1

UPDATE V1. the database has been updated. FA Cup prize money updated, 3rd round matches no longer played at wembley, Prize money has been updated for county cups, level 7-8 play-offs have been fixed.

Thank you to everyone who has downloaded it and supported my work and thanks for your feedback

What's included

English Football Level 7 - Regional Premier Divisions

  • Northern Premier League Premier Division
    (Evo-Stik League Northern Premier Division)
    24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations
  • Southern Football League Premier Division
    (Calor Gas League Southern Premier Division)
    24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations
  • Isthmian League Premier Division
    (Ryman Football League Premier Division)
    24 clubs – 2 promotions, 4 relegations

English Football Level 8 - Regional First Divisions

  • Northern Premier League Division One North
    (Evo-Stik League Northern Premier First Division North)
    22 clubs – 2 promotions, 2 relegations
  • Northern Premier League Division One South
    (Evo-Stik League Northern Premier First Division South)
    22 clubs – 2 promotions, 2 relegations
  • Southern Football League Division One Central
    (Calor Gas League Southern Division One Central)
    22 clubs – 2 promotions, 2 relegations
  • Southern Football League Division One South & West
    (Calor Gas League Southern Division One South & West)
    22 clubs – 2 promotions, 2 relegations
  • Isthmian League Division One North
    (Ryman Football League Division One North)
    24 clubs – 2 promotions, 3 relegations
  • Isthmian League Division One South
    (Ryman Football League Division One South)
    24 clubs – 2 promotions, 3 relegations

English Football Level 9 - County Leagues

  • Combined Counties League Premier Division22 clubs
  • Eastern Counties League Premier Division20 clubs
  • Essex Senior League20 clubs
  • Hellenic League Premier Division20 clubs
  • Midland Alliance22 clubs
  • Northern Counties East League Premier Division23 clubs
  • Northern League Division One23 clubs
  • North West Counties League Premier Division22 clubs
  • Southern Counties East League17 clubs
  • Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division22 clubs
  • Sussex County League Division One20 clubs
  • United Counties League Premier Division19 clubs
  • Wessex League Premier Division22 clubs
  • Western League Premier Division21 clubs

English Football Level 10 - County Leagues Division One

  • Combined Counties League Division One16 clubs
  • Eastern Counties League Division One19 clubs
  • East Midlands Counties League19 clubs
  • Hellenic League Division One East14 clubs
  • Hellenic League Division One West15 clubs
  • Kent Invicta League15 clubs
  • Midland Combination Premier Division19 clubs
  • Northern Counties East League Division One22 clubs
  • Northern League Division Two22 clubs
  • North West Counties League Division One19 clubs
  • South West Peninsula League Premier Division20 clubs
  • Spartan South Midlands League Division One20 clubs
  • Sussex County League Division Two17 clubs
  • United Counties League Division One22 clubs
  • Wessex League Division One17 clubs
  • Western League Division One22 clubs
  • West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division23 clubs

English Football Level 11

  • Anglian Combination Premier Division16 clubs
  • Bedfordshire Premier Division14 clubs
  • Cheshire Football League Division One16 clubs
  • Dorset Senior Football League14 clubs
  • Essex Olympian League Premier Division14 clubs
  • Hampshire Premier League Senior Division18 clubs
  • Hellenic Football League Division Two West9 clubs
  • Humber Premier League15 clubs
  • Liverpool County Premier League16 clubs
  • Manchester Football League Premier Division15 clubs
  • Midland Football Combination Division One15 clubs
  • Nottinghamshire Senior League17 clubs
  • Oxfordshire Senior Football League14 clubs
  • Peterborough and District League Premier Division18 clubs
  • Reading Football League Senior Division12 clubs
  • Sussex County League Division Three10 clubs
  • Teesside Football League Division One14 clubs
  • Wearside Football League20 clubs

English Football Level 12

  • Anglian Combination Division One15 clubs
  • Bedfordshire League Division One13 clubs
  • Cheshire Football Division Two16 clubs
  • Dorset League Division One13 clubs
  • Essex Olympian Football League Division One12 clubs
  • Hellenic Football League Division Three10 clubs
  • Humber League Division One15 clubs
  • Liverpool County League Division One13 clubs
  • Manchester Football Division One13 clubs
  • Midland Football Combination Division Two15 clubs
  • Nottinghamshire Senior League Division One15 clubs
  • Oxfordshire Senior Football League Division One10 clubs
  • Peterborough and District Football League Division One16 clubs
  • Portsmouth Saturday Premier Division - 6 clubs
  • Reading Football League Premier Division10 clubs
  • Sussex County League Division Four10 clubs
  • Teesside Football League Division Two13 clubs
  • Wearside Football League Division Two7 clubs

Installation Instructions

Step 1

Move the downloaded file English Level 12 Database Update By FMNutters.dbc to your Football Manager 2014 editor data folder:

Win Vista/7/8: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\editor data\
Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\editor data\
Mac OS X: /Users/<username>/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2014/editor data/

Create the folder "editor data" if it doesn't exist already.

Step 2

Start a new career game (won't work with classic mode).
A little pop-up window will come up that says there is X enabled editor files. Click OK.

Step 3

After this click on England, then Next Game overview in the corner.
It will then bring up the available league.
Click this then Start Game on the right.

Recommended set-up for your save game
We recommend taking the following steps when starting your save game to ensure you have all available real players in the database for UK & Ireland.

So when creating your new save, do the following:
  1. Select the Advanced Database Size option. You'll get the Customize the Database screen.
  2. Click on the Add button for Regions.
  3. Enable the options Players of nationality for UK & Ireland.
Additional settings: There are tons of updated club data, but no people added. To have your leagues populated with more players I suggest you tick the "Add players to playable teams" option when starting a new game.

Bergkamp14 Transparent v5 skin for FM14

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Screenshots



Installation instructions

Step 1

Download the skin and extract the file (using either 7-Zip for Windows or The Unarchiver for Mac).

Step 2

Place the extracted files to a folder, name the folder bergkamp14 transparent v5 and move it into your skins folder:

Win Vista/7/8: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\skins
Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\skins
Mac OS X: /Users/<username>/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2014/skins

Create the folder "skins" if it doesn't exist.

Step 3

Start the game and go to Preferences screen and Interface tab.
You should see "bergkamp14 transparent v5" as option in the skin drop down of the Overview box.
Hit the Confirm button.

Please note this skin is provided as is. It has nothing to do with Sports Interactive or SEGA and won't be supported by them.

Credits

This skin is created by Bergkamp. Visit his site (mostly in Korean language).
Fixed by cezar.sl on SI forums.

Default Logos Megapack 2014 - Update 4.2 Released

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The Default Logos Megapack 2014 is out !
 
The continuation of over 3 years of logo research and help by the Football Manager community, now entirely updated for FM14.
 
This Megapack includes the following:
  • Over 12.500 Club logos from 216 nations
  • Over 600 Competition logos
  • All Nations (224) and Continents
 
All of these in normal, small and background left/right. The file is approx. 1.5 GB !
 

Update 2 has arrived

-Over 800 updated logos (clubs, some nations and competitions)
-HQ logos for all European top leagues, if available
-Northern Mariana Islands !
-Many small countries with new and improved logos ! 


Important Notes

  • Some logos might be incorrect/outdated or missing. If you have a new logo for me you can either respond in this topic or send me a PM.
  • PM's and messages that contain a country, UID and logo will be in the next update, simply stating 'logo X is wrong...' will be ignored.
  • I won't always confirm that your request is processed, but if it's done correctly you can assume it will be !
  • I don't make anniversary logos for clubs, because those are outdated too soon. This pack is made to work in all FM versions (at least from FM12 and onwards) and should look real even after 5+ years of gameplay.
  • The only exceptions on the previous are logos for international cups, future updates might contain an alternative image without any year or location, but no promises.
The newest idea this year is a Torrent, which is also available to download above. Initially it might take long to download, but it's there for those willing to use a torrent. If you don't know how a torrent works, just download the normal Megapack.
 

How to install?

  1. Download the .zip archive and use a tool such as 7-zip for Windows or The Unarchiver for MacOSX to extract the folders.
  2. Cut and paste the extracted folder to:
    Win Vista/Win 7/Win 8: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\graphics\logos\
    Win 2000/XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\graphics\logos\
    Win 98/ME: C:\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\graphics\logos\
    Mac OS X: /Users/<username>/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2014/graphics/logos/
  3. Create folders "graphics" and "logos" if they don't exist already
  4. Run Football Manager 2014 and go to: Preferences > Interface Click Using caching to decrease page loading times "OFF"
    Click Reload Skin when confirming changes in preferences "ON"
    Confirm! 
 
The 2014 Megapack is available to all official SI fansites, but doesn't mean it's already there. If you want to add the pack on your forum or website, feel free to PM me about it and we will figure something out.
 
Logo creators are free to use this Megapack as a base for their own creations, but I would like to get referenced as a source in that case.

Vexillium skin for FM14 and FMC14

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Author's note

Derived from the word 'vexillum' which means banner in Latin, this dark skin will suit any player whether you want the full experience in the original game or a more laid-back casual game using Football Manager Classic. This skin supports both the in-game editor and instant results button as well as user backgrounds.

This is the first major release so I expect to see a few bugs somewhere along the line (although I have stress-tested this as much as possible to minimize this possibility). Extra panels will be included in an upcoming update also although you can still manually install the option to have the team logo in the background in both small and stretched flavours.

Released: 11 March 2014 - v0.7b
Updated: 31 March 2014 - v1.2

Screenshots



Installation instructions

Step 1

Download the skin and extract the file (using either 7-Zip for Windows or The Unarchiver for Mac).

Step 2

Place the 4 extracted folders into your skins folder:

Win Vista/7/8: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\skins
Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2014\skins
Mac OS X: /Users/<username>/Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2014/skins

Create the folder "skins" if it doesn't exist.

Step 3

Start the game and go to Preferences screen and Interface tab.
You should see "Vexillium" as option in the skin drop down of the Overview box.
Hit the Confirm button.

Please note this skin is provided as is. It has nothing to do with Sports Interactive or SEGA and won't be supported by them.

Credits

This skin is created by Daniel Stone (aka Drakestone and aeryth).
Thanks to:
Kiwi for the base skin, Nuu.
kun for his work on the player panels.
Beta testers who helped go through fixing the bugs.

This skin was initially posted on SI forums and is being republished here with author's permission.


Changelog

31/3/14 - Updated to v1.2
1. I've sorted the fonts out so all fonts use Lato now.
2. I've put the next match day details back on the processing screen (and added something)
3. I've fixed some alignment issues
4. Fixed lack of continue button on FMC (still doesnt show on matchday, spacebar still required)
5. Fixed nation selection screen at game start
6. I've edited the background opacity overlay to be 40 not 60 so screens aren't so dark by default
7. Added FMC style panels to Vexillium FMC

20/3/2014 - Updated to v1.01
1. Fixed a bug that caused the FMC version to use the default text colours
2. Fixed an issue causing black writing on the match screen

20/3/2014 - Updated to final v1.0
1. Replaced all remaining images
2. Removed bgselector in favour of user backgrounds.
3. Changed actionbar background to black in a match to make things easier to read.
4. Created overlay on background to ensure writing is legible
5. Changed text colours on menus and match panels
6. Created in-game overlay so the match screen is dimmer, this prevents eye-strain aswell as making the match look more natural and realistic.
7. Improved the header to make it even more ribbon-like
8. Improved to processing panel so its easier to read.
9. Fixed any language bugs that were left over (I've had my game playing in Portuguese for the last 2 days )

15/3/2014 - Updated to final BETA v0.9b
1. Fixed lack of header image on the match screen
2. Replaced most buttons and other GFX (about 80% done now)
3. Fixed transparency and images in the processing screen
4. Removed transparency from sender bar in news feed to be more flat
5. Changed the dialog and wizard boxes

14/3/2014 - Updated to 0.8b
1. Graphics replacements done for all boxes, processing screen, header and menubar, still got buttons and other things to replace.
2. Fixed unreadable text issue on actionbar.
3. Text colours changed.
4. Show filters button working again.

11/3/2014 - First Release - Version 0.7b

Steklo X4 skin for FM14

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It's taken (a lot) longer than expected, but it's finally finished (and finally uploaded). Welcome Steklo X4 to the family of the popular Steklo skin series

This skin is for use with Football Manager mode only and cannot be used with Classic mode.

Please report any bugs with the Steklo X4 Skin here (SI forums).

Released: 19 January 2014 - v1.00
Updated: 28 January 2014 - v1.02

Steklo, in case you were wondering, is the phonetic pronunciation of the Russian word for glass.

Screenshots



Installation instructions

Step 1

Click our big red "Download Now" button and you'll be taken to the Steam Workshop download page for the skin.

Step 2

Subscribe with the big green button to download Steklo X4.

Step 3

Start the game and go to Downloads and Steam Workshop tab from the top.

Step 4

Click the green "Install" button and wait for the process to complete.

Step 5

Go to Preferences screen and Interface tab.
You should see "Steklo X4" as option in the skin drop down of the Overview box.
Hit the Confirm button.

Credits

This skin was created by Tom Dixon. You can find him on SI forums and on Sortitoutsi.

Changelog

28 January 2014 - v1.02
1. Fixed lots of player and clubs actions
2. Fixed colours on sack race/next manager news items
3. Fixed formatting on formations in scout report news item
4. Translations of player actions have been replaced

22 January 2014 - v1.01
1. Inbox match report shot and possession stats and processing 'world news' graphics replaced so the text is readable.
2. Fixed glitching graphics in tactics screen, also fixed the goalie name being cut off on the tactics pitch at low res.
3. Fixed some missing player and team actions (Declare Interest In Player, View Job Advert, etc.)
4. Stadium names are displayed correctly on the club home page
5. Translation of Stadium, etc. Home screen boxes
6. Moved the battery power indicator to the right of the screen
7. Improved speed of screen transitions
8. Made buttons at the bottom of the staff responsibilities screen visible
9. Season expectation boxes on news item modified to make text readable
10. Clear opposition instructions button is no longer overlapped by the box below

19 January 2014 - First release

Poetry In Motion (BR System)

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“I like to control games. I like to be responsible for our own destiny. If you are better than your opponent with the ball you have a 79 per cent chance of winning the game…for me it is quite logical. It does not matter how big or small you are, if you don’t have the ball you can’t score.”
(Rodgers, 2012)




This is an add-on to The Brendan Rodgers System for FM14. It is another formation for the same tactical system but I decided to release this one separately because it took me longer to recreate and this was the set up which Brendan Rodgers used during the second half of the season just gone, when his Liverpool side played arguably the best attacking football in the world at the time. "Poetry In Motion" is a chant which has become popular amongst the Scouse supporters and I felt that it was an ideal name for this tactic.

Brendan Rodgers' philosophy is one that is admired across the globe. His beliefs of how the game should be played has lead to some revolutionary football in the Premier League, first with Swansea, and currently with Liverpool. He believes in getting all the little things right. Keeping the ball is very important, and off-the-ball movement is clearly visible in this system. Defensively, he likes his team to put a lot of pressure on the opposing team. If you put your opponent under pressure, they have less time and space to work with, which may force them in to making mistakes. When his team has the ball, his players play a nice, flowing passing game with the ball always moving, making it impossible for the opposition to predict the next move. They try to keep all the basics as simple as possible, but if his players have the ability to make something happen, they will use these abilities to express themselves on the game, while sticking to the fundamentals of Rodgers' philosophy, his way of life.

The Formation

As you can see, it is the famous 4-1-2-1-2 of the current Liverpool side. It consists of a flat back four, a half-back playing just in front of the defence, two centre midfielders and one attacking midfielder behind the two strikers. The midfield is narrow which allows the two complete wing backs to charge up the flanks in to the space. This formation is designed to dominate the midfield area while having a strong presence up front and as well know, Liverpool's attack scored more than enough goals. This set-up is all about goal-getting and you can expect to see some thrilling attacks.

Team Instructions - The Playing Style

These are the team instructions, these are the settings which defines how your team plays it's football. This is where you create your style of football, where your master plan for success comes together. For each formation, these team instructions are the same. My belief is that you shouldn't play your style depending on who you play against, but how you set up (your formations). My opinion is that you should let your team play the football which they are used to and don't change it around (team instructions).

Philosophy: This is how your team acts through each phase of the game. You cannot see this in the screenshot above, but the Philosophy is set to Very Fluid. With a very fluid style, your attackers will help defend and your defenders will help attack. This helps with passing options, causing problems in your opposition's defence, and you have more players defending when needed too.

Strategy: This is how you take on your opponent. I have the strategy set to Control as it's base strategy. With Control, your team will look to take control of the ball and move it around. This strategy is very good for a "passing team", which is what this entire system is looking to create. However, you can feel free to change the strategy to Attacking or Counter or whatever else during the pre-match team-talk. This changes the emphasis of play of you team but will not harm the tactic too much, in my opinion.

Passing Style + Tempo: This is how you pass the ball and how quickly you play your football. This system utilises a very high tempo, short passing in a way to keep possession of the ball, even from defence. The faster and more accurately your team can move the ball around, the easier it will become to keep possession and to create good attacking moves.

Attacking Play: This is how your team attacks the opposition, to state the obvious. Your defensive line will push very high up the pitch in an attempt to confine the game to the opposition's half. Your team will look to play narrower so that they aren't boxed off out wide, while your wing backs bomb down the flanks to overlap the wingers and cause havoc. Your most skilled players will look to express themselves on your attacking play to create a chance through flair or skill for either themselves or for a team mate.

Defensive Play: This is how your team defends against opposition attacks, sorry for stating the obvious again! The only real instruction in Team Instructions regarding defending is to Hassle Opponents, which just means to really let your opponents know that your defenders are ready to make big tackles on them and to make life hard for them. There are more specific instructions for the defenders themselves rather than the system.

Player Roles

Goalkeeper: The goalkeeper plays as a Sweeper Keeper. He does all the regular work of a Goalkeeper, with the addition of being included in the passing play. The difference is that with a regular Goalkeeper, you have 10 players and 1 goalkeeper, whereas with a Sweeper Keeper, you have 11 players with 1 of them being a goalkeeper too.

Defender - Right & Left: The Complete Wing Back is responsible for defending his team's flanks, while also contributing to the attacking play. In this role, your Complete Wing Back will be a box-to-box player, bombing up and down the wing, and is almost always available to offload the ball to if there are no viable passing options in midfield or up front.

Defender - Center, Right & Left: The central defenders are your defensive bricks. They are the most important players in your team and it is important that you get quality players for these positions. As Ball Playing Defenders, they join in on the passing and are very good with the ball at their feet.

Defensive Midfielder: The Half Back is responsible for breaking down your opposition's attacks in front of your back four. He will sit in front of your defenders and protect them from any onslaught of opposing attackers. The Half Back needs to be a solid tackler, have good positioning and be a good passer for the passing moves. The Half Back will drop deep to pick up the ball from the keeper or the defenders and he will distribute it to whoever is in the best position.

Midfielder - Center, Right: The MCR is the Deep Lying Playmaker. He will sit deeper in midfield and orchestrate your attacks. He must have a great array of passing ability and be very creative. He must also be a decent tackler to break up attacks alongside the DM.

Midfielder - Center, Left: The MCL is the Box-to-Box Midfielder. He will run up and down the pitch for 90 minutes. He will be involved in every phase of the game, from defending your own goal line to trying to force a cross in to the goal. They must be good with the ball and have good stamina.

Attacking Midfielder - Center: The AMC is an Advanced Playmaker. He looks to create chances for himself and for others. He will sit in behind the Striker and Inside Forwards and thread through balls in for them. He must have a reasonable shot and he must be a very creative passer of the ball.

Striker - Right: This striker is an out-and-out Poacher. His role is to score the goals, whatever way he can. He must have good off-the-ball movement and be clinical when he gets his chances. If he is a good passer, that is a huge plus for your team.

Striker - Left: This striker is a Trequartista. His role is to use his technical abilities to carve out chances. This player must be very skillful and very creative with the ball. He must also be a good marksman, as he will be expected to take his chances.

Typical Attacking Move

Here is an image of a typical attacking move in this formation & style of play. We are looking at the team in black and purple, obviously. No.16 & No.5 are the two DCs and No.21 is the Half Back dropping deep to protect them and to offer a deeper passing option. No.2 & No.6 are the two Complete Wing Backs and they are bombing up the flanks in to space where they can be dangerous. No.8 & No.14 are the two Midfielders looking to get on the ball and add to the play. No.19 is the Attacking Midfielder who has picked up the ball and is looking to bring it forward and create with it. No.9 is the Trequartista who has dropped slightly deeper than his strike partner so he can pick up the ball and create something with it. No.15 is the Poacher and he is pushing forward in order to get in to a goal scoring position. This is Poetry In Motion.

Development

If you do decide to use this system, please take note that it may take several months for your team to become fully accustomed to this tactic, even if the familiarity bar is full. If your results at the start of the season are poor, this is not the tactic's fault. It is just that your players need to have more experience in this system in competitive matches. My recommended training approach would be on Ball Control, to get your team to be as good on the ball as possible, as you will have a lot of it. For match preparation, you can work on either attacking or defending set pieces, which is the norm for any team. If you are looking to train players for this system, train them in the roles which are included, so that they become familiar with them. Just remember, if you are patient with this system or any other system, it can succeed for you. Also, if your players are not technically gifted, this isn't the style of play for them. This system requires players who can manipulate the ball well and can control the play, rather than players who's main use is smashing heads.

Installation Instructions

Step One

Download the file.

Step Two

Place the file in this folder:
Sports Interactive > Football Manager 2014 > tactics

Step Three

The 'Tactic' menu, located to the top right of the right panel, allows you to save and load different tactics. To Import or Export a particular tactic, select the 'Manage Tactics' option, which will display a dialog box. 'Import' will prompt you to select a tactic (.tac file) to import into the game, whilst 'Export' will prompt you to save it to a directory. The 'Delete', 'Copy', and 'Rename' options allow you further control over your physical tactics files.

Author's Note
I highly recommend this system to those looking to play an attractive style of football, while still controlling the play. Be warned, it may take a while for your team to get used to this system. Also, I cannot guarantee that this tactic will be the best possible tactic for you. A tactic's success depends on the players used in this tactic. If your players do not suit this tactic, they won't perform well in it. This is just a different way of playing which will hopefully bring you success.I hope that you enjoy using this system and I hope you have success with it. Any criticisms you may have are welcome, I am always looking to learn where I can improve. Thank you!

WC2014 Ivory Coast Preview

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Ivory Coast. Les Éléphants as they are known across the world, have recently become the World Cup's dark horses over several years. Ivory Coast are not known for it's club football as the players it produces are sometimes, if not always, shipped out to European teams. Cote D'Ivoire possess some great talent going into the Brazil World Cup 2014, there's a problem though. Yaya Touré, Kolo Touré, Didier Drogba, Didier Zokora. All recognisable names in the footballing world, particularly Barclays Premier League followers for their great performances on-field. They're all capable players. But they're all over 30 years old.

Ivory Coast have been placed in Group C alongside Colombia, Japan and Greece. Not the hardest group but not the easiest. Colombia contain some great talent in their side such as €63m Falcao, Porto's Jackson Martinez, Fiorentina's Juan Cuadrado, Monaco's James Rodriguez and Inter Milan's Fredy Guarin. All extremely talented players. Ivory Coast will need to be at their best to fend off the powerful strikeforce of Colombia, who are favourites to go through to the knock-out rounds with Ivory Coast. But that doesn't underestimate the quality of both Greece's and Japan's squads.

World Cup History



Ivory Coast haven't had the greatest of times in the World Cup in the past, with their best achievement being reaching the Group Stages in both World Cup's 2006 in Germany and 2010 in South Africa. The manager Sabri Malouchi is desperate to change this in Brazil.

Key Players

Ivory Coast boast some of the greatest individual talent in Africa, if not the world. The midfield and attacking strength will come in handy for Les Éléphants in Brazil when playing the worlds best teams.

Didier Drogba
Striker



Obviously Ivory Coast's main attacking threat. Known worldwide for his time at Chelsea, Drogba is Ivory Coast's all-time top scorer which is saying something with 60 goals in 95 appearances. At the age of 35 years old, this is looking like Drogba's last World Cup and he will be looking to make one last impact on the world stage for his nation.

Yaya Touré
Midfielder



Ivory Coast's main man. The dictator in the center of the park. Touré is identified by many as the best midfielder in the world at this moment in time, after leading Manchester City to the Barclays Premier League. Yaya is all you ever wanted in a midfielder, he is a playmaker as well as a defender, as he possesses great passing and tackling, one of the best in the world at both. Yaya will be almost carrying his country on his shoulders throughout this World Cup.

Kolo Touré
Defender



Although he has been second fiddle to his brother in terms of quality, Kolo is essential to keeping the attacking threats of Colombia at bay. Kolo possesses pace and strength as well as being able to make a good tackle. Despite all this, Kolo really needs to sort out his positioning as he has been the weak point at Liverpool's defence this season.

Ones to Watch

Obviously, the talents of Drogba, and the Touré's have been recognised as some of the best in the world but some players performances sneak under the radar.

Seydou Doumbia
Striker



Although a name usually recognised across Europe, Doumbia's performances usually go under the radar due to him playing in quite an obscure league. We all know that Didier Drogba's finishing and heading accuracy is on point but Doumbia brings pace and creativity to the table up top. Doumbia and Drogba playing as strikers will be enough to scare any defender across the world. A frightening combination.

Gervinho
Winger



After a flop season at Arsenal, Gervinho was offloaded to Serie A's AS Roma, and he showed his true talent to the world. He picked up many plaudits in Italy and some say he will be a main part in Ivory Coast's World Cup campaign. With Drogba waiting to be supplied in the box, Gervinho can offer that this summer.

Manager - Sabri Lamouchi


Lamouchi made 12 appearances for France, with his first coming in January 1996 against Portugal, he wasn't a name that was thrown around as much as other French internationals at that time. He took the Ivory Coast job in May 2012 despite having no previous managerial experience, an strange appointment indeed. It will be interesting to see how far he can take Ivory Coast.

Prediction

In Group C, I think that Colombia will make it out of the group with ease. Although, Ivory Coast's pace and strength may take apart Colombia's aging defence of Luis Perea, 35 and Mario Yepes, 38. Japan could be seen as a threat with midfielders Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa leading the offensive force for Japan. In terms of balance, Japan seem to be going strong and could prove to be a challenge for Group C.

Official Website
Ivory Coast FIFA Profile



WC2014 France Preview

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France, a national team blessed with plenty of ability over the years and in the current generation too. The likes of Zidane, Platini and Henry have dominated the international stage in the past and now it’s the turn of Benzema, Pogba and Varane to lead Les Bleus to glory.

France have been drawn in Group B and will feel confident of escaping from a group that includes Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras. With a squad that is most definitely packed full of talent, the only thing that may prevent success in Brazil this summer is their constant lapses in concentration, which have impeded them in big games. Not to mention maintain a harmonious team spirit in what is an often fractious group of players. If they can eradicate this then they could go on a good run in the tournament.

World Cup History



The France national team has experienced much of its success during three major "golden generations", in the 1950s, 1980s, and late 1990s/early 2000s respectively, which resulted in numerous major honours. They won two European Championships in 1984 and 2000 as well as the World Cup itself in 1998 while hosting it. They could have won the famous World Cup trophy again but eventually missed out on penalties to Italy in the final, with legend Zinedine Zidane’s infamous head-butt stealing most of the headlines.

Key Players



Every top national team needs to have a solid foundation but with France they have an excellent base to their team with Tottenham goalkeeperHugo Lloris between the sticks. Lloris is not only a fantastic shot stopper and reflexes, but he is the perfect example of a modern ‘sweeper keeper’ with his ability to rush from his 6 yard box and deal with any danger. Hugo Lloris will need to hit his best quickly if France are to go on and do well in this competition.



Real Madrid’s forward Karim Benzema is another player who will be key to any French success in Brazil, with the 25 year old expected to lead the line and will have to provide the goals needed to win games. Oliver Giroud will be biting at his heels if Benzema fails to find the net quickly but with his clinical nature and good form recently, many France fans are banking on a successful World Cup for Benzema. It will be interesting to see if he can live up to this expectation.



Along with a good backbone to the side, a prolific goalscorer, France will need to have a complete midfield player if they are going to have a good opportunity of success in the upcoming World Cup, and they have the perfect player in Juventus’ Paul Pogba. Pogba may still be young at just 21 years old but he has class oozing from him, and his all action displays being a feature when playing. Even if Pogba fails to impress in this World Cup he will most certainly be a vital part of future plans for France.

Ones to watch



In a World Cup where many top players will be on show, it also gives younger players the opportunity to shine on the top stage of international football. For France one most definitely to keep an eye on is highly rated Real Madrid central defender Raphael Varane. Not only is Varane a very competent all round defender with his heading, tackling and positioning ability but he is also quick, strong and physically very capable. If France do progress far Varane will be up against some top attackers so it is a great chance to prove himself not just to the manager and France fans but to the world.



Another player to watch is Real Sociedad winger Antoine Griezmann. Griezmann is a bit of a surprise inclusion in the squad, earning a spot ahead of Manchester City star Samir Nasri. Nonetheless, Griezmann has had a very impressive season and will be looking to have an impressive World Cup to add to this. At just 23 he still has plenty of time to fine tune his abilities but his ball control, quick acceleration, and dribbling should make him a threat. Interest has already been high for him at club level and if he turns in a few eye catching displays for France he could be heading to a new club this summer too.

The Manager


Leading his home country to Brazil is 45 year old Didier Deschamps. As a player he was hugely successful winning numerous titles at the likes of Juventus and Marseille. As a manager now, he will be looking to carry his winning mentality into the World Cup and achieve success with France. Deschamps is a very determined character and will be expecting nothing less than maximum effort from his players in Brazil.

Players ruled out due to injury

In terms of players out of the World Cup for France there is one massive miss, Franck Ribery. In the last couple of seasons, Ribery has hit top form for club and country meaning he was his nation’s key player going into the tournament. He was in fact picked for the squad too before unfortunately sustaining an injury. He is a fantastic player and is experienced as well making his injury even more of a blow. Other players missing include Clement Grenier and Steve Mandanda but thankfully these players are not as important, with other players in the squad easily capable of taking their place with both of them not starters anyway.

Prediction

In terms of the media prediction, it is widely agreed that they will progress from their group easily and in fact are at 25-1 with the bookies to win the competition, but realistically are not many people’s favourites.

In my opinion, France will easily progress through the group stage but when facing good opposition will fail to win and be knocked out of the competition. At which stage this will happen I don’t know but I believe it is most likely they will be eliminated in the quarter final, at most the semi-final. They may have very talented players within their squad but as a team, France haven’t been seeming to gel and work well together on the international stage. Many people will remember, France’s atrocious World Cup performances in 2010 and this is a main factor in my prediction.


WC2014 South Korea Preview

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South Korea are widely considered one of Asia’s most successful national sides, holding the unique honour of reaching the semi-finals of a World Cup, when they co-hosted the competition back in 2002. Despite this, they are still large outsiders to qualify from their group, and many are writing them off as potential participants in the later stages. However, with a lot of passionate support and lots of energetic and enthusiastic talent, the Reds might give one of their best showings at this year’s competition.

Their group, Group H, on paper looks fairly obvious, as most critics expect Russia and Belgium to go through, ahead of South Korea and Algeria. In order to progress they will need to beat Algeria and pull off an upset against one of the two big nations. Belgium, boasting a squad containing the likes of Chelsea starlet Eden Hazard, as well as Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany look to be very dangerous, but Russia defence could potentially be broken, if South Korea play to the best of their ability, combined with some luck.

World Cup History



As previously mentioned, South Korea’s best run In the World Cup came in 2002, when they co-hosted the competition with Japan. Going into the start of the tournament, their hopes were not high, since they had never won a World Cup game before, but after historic wins against Portugal, Italy and one of the biggest shock’s in modern football, when they beat Spain on penalties to reach the last four. Despite being knocked out by Germany, it was hailed as one of the best runs of a smaller side in world football. In 2006 they were knocked out in the group stage, and in South Africa they were beaten by Uruguay in the first knockout round. The country which has won lots of its continental trophy will look to show the world their spirit and passion for the game.

Key Players



Park Chu-Young has had a torrid time since joining Arsenal from Monaco back in 2011, enjoying little first team football and going on loan to club’s where he has failed to make an impression. However, his form for the national side hasn’t slipped, and he is the highest goal scorer in their squad, as well as their most internationally experienced. His performances up front will need to be of a high quality as his side desperately needs his goals if they want to stand a chance of getting past the group stages.



Keeper Jung Sung-Ryong will be key for the Asian side between the sticks, with his experience and quality going to be vital for their less than solid defence. Playing in the K-League his entire career, the 28 year old made a £1.2M move from Seongnam to Suwon in 2011, and performances for his new club have attracted the attention of some European clubs. The player who is seen as the best South Korean player to currently play in their domestic league, he will need to lead the side, and control and help his defenders well in order for this team to progress. Despite some poor performances in recent times for his country, if he does play to the best of his ability, he will be very strong in goal.



Koo Ja-Cheol has established himself as a very talented player in Germany, and he will be hoping he can use this competition to properly announce himself on a world scale. Currently playing for Mainz, the versatile attacking midfielder has spent the last 5 years at different clubs in Germany, after joining Wolfsburg for £1.7M. With a great long shot, and known to be a real team player, he will be crucial in helping his side create something from nothing when everything seems stagnant.

Players to Watch



Despite all the experience in this team, all eyes are on Bayer Leverkusen winger, Son Heung-Min. The skilful player is the youngest in the South Korea squad, yet many consider him to be one of the best raw talents ever to come out of the nation. His great speed combined with his lethal finishing makes for a deadly player who could get into most nations starting 11. Joining from Seoul, Son starred for HSV, leading the way in terms of goals and assists at just 19 which caused Leverkusen to buy him last summer, where he has shone. If anyone is going to lift this side to new heights, it will be him.



Former Sunderland player Ji Dong-Won is another player who could make a difference, or at least gain some vital experience for his future international ventures. The Dortmund-bound striker joined Sunderland in 2011, but after an ordinary season was sent out on loan to Augsburg, and in January 2014 he signed a permanent deal with them. However, they chose to terminate his deal after 6 months, and he signed for Dortmund. While not a prolific goal scorer, the player has impressed for the Reds’ youth team, and shown signs of his talent for the full team. Keep your eyes out for him, as he could have his breakout tournament in Brazil and fulfil the promise which has surrounded him his whole career.

The Manager

Considering one of the all-time greatest South Korean players, manager Hong Myung-Bo is widely renowned in the footballing history of this nation, holding many records for them. First joining the Reds’ coaching staff as the U21 manager, Hong had moved up the chain before being appointed head coach on the 24th of June 2013, and was given a year to prepare his side for the upcoming World Cup. As a national legend, he should have no problem inspiring the players to give it their all, and his appearance and history could be just as important as his managerial ability.

Prediction

The media are on the fence about South Korea’s chances of progressing from the group stages, with many citing their previous record in this competition as reason why they should be serious contenders for qualification from this group. However, others mention that Russia and Belgium are too good with too many stars not to advance.

Personally, I believe that while it is not inconceivable that Korea could pull off an upset and qualify, I don’t believe that it will happen with a very good tournament form several of its stars, especially Son, who is carrying his nation’s hopes on his shoulders alongside some of the other, more experienced players, in the team. While finishing 3rd in their group on paper does not look too disappointing, in reality, their fans will be devastated if they lost at the first hurdle. If they are to qualify, their match against Russia is vital, as if they can get a good result, it is possible that they will yet again be the most successful Asian side in the competition.

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