Media Interaction - Media Questions and Post Match interaction.

Media Questions

Based on events in the game like new signings, title wins or outstanding player performances, you will be asked by the media to comment on players, debuts, titles and other events. This does more or less cause similar effects as your own statements. Since it is all but impossible to cover every question ever posted in the game, there is one simple rule of thumb, which is valid for almost every aspect of interaction: Stay positive, but also remain moderate in your response, and things rarely will go wrong. Of course there are always examples proving the opposite, and sometimes an injured player will feel inspired to prove you wrong after you told the media you would not miss him much or a new player did not convince you with his debut, but this should be an exception.

Since there is such a sheer amount of questions, here just some examples.

If you are asked about a player’s performance, you can select one of these options, and you should choose your reply based on your knowledge of his personality.

• Don’t get carried away. Especially for youngsters and at start of the season, also for key players who definitely can do better. Usually results in a very high motivation.

• Pleased and hope to maintain his form. Most likely this will spur the player on to perform much better in future.
• First name on my team sheet. Only use it if you run out of words and it hardly can come any better. Some players will feel pressured.

These questions may be asked in a similar way regarding player debuts, your personal expectations regarding the league performance, after a key player gets injured, after winning titles, if you are playing in a small league and the big clubs start looking at your players and many more examples. Use this to your advantage, and if you have to stand your ground, e.g. regarding transfer rumours, you should do this. The results may surprise you. In most cases, the effects will be only temporarily anyway, so it will not hurt you too much if you pick a wrong choice.

Post-match Media Interaction

This is not a must and rather should be seen as build up for your next match, especially if you are playing in English leagues or several competitions so you will have a game every three or four days. For the rare occasions of international breaks you may save some media interactions until your players return.

However, there are some games where direct interaction makes sense, e.g after a clash with a fierce rival or a strong competitor for the title, European competition or in a relegation fight. Especially against rivals you sometimes have the option to accuse your opponent manager of using negative tactics or of grabbing a lucky win. This is especially sweet after you have seen him parking the proverbial team bus in front of his goal at home. You will not make friends this way, but for sure your team and fans will like you for this, and maybe he can be forced to come at you more often next time.

Also sometimes you can tell the press that you did not win the title yet after a big match, declare you intend to dominate the league or give yourself optimistic about your title chances. As always, you shold stay reasonable with your predictions, but there is a good chance it will spur your key players and put pressure on your opposition. Don’t overdo it, or your players will sit back and lose sharpness.

Sometimes if I feel the opposition made a good game because of one singular player, I do take time to praise him. No need to do this, it can be a nice amusement and only may be of any importance if this player is a hot spot on your short-list. As said before, this is more a private pleasure then essentially needed to succeed in the game.