The planning phase of a given task is often overlooked on a widespread level in the real world. Many businesses with great ideas and valor have fallen due to neglecting this very important stage of development. There are quite of few of us in society that enjoy barging head first into things and use the trial and error method to eventually reach some level of accomplishment. While getting started right away has benefits in the learning process, most would prefer to achieve success the first time around. In order to do so, it is imperative that you think about the overall picture beforehand and gear your actions parallel to an itemized set of goals.

One could say that every user on FML has the same goal - to be the very best, the top of the gameworld with #1 ranking. Although true, reaching this very broad long term goal can involve a wide array of methods, each with certain stages of development to propel you up the ladder. It is not enough to say “I want to be #1″ without first achieving more moderate goals and creating a basic chronlogical outline highlighting your projected result over a certain period of time.

Here is an example of a basic seasonal outlook plan for an FML user:

Season 1 - compete for fed’s 3rd tier promtion; build rep through veterans cheaply; focus on finance/management
Season 2 - title push in fed’s 3rd tier; spend wisely on select prime players; focus on coaching skills
Season 3 - avoid relegation in fed’s 2nd tier; develop youth squad; focus on scouting in select regions
Season 4 - compete for fed’s 2nd tier promotion; maintain prime age squad; focus more on coaching/management
Season 5 - title push for fed’s 2nd tier; purchase a few upper class players; focus itemized physio skills
Season 6 - avoid relegation in fed’s top tier; turn around squad selling veterans; focus on higher finance skills
Season 7 - compete for UFFA spots; make a few world class buys/sales; focus on higher level scouting
Season 8 - title push for fed’s top tier; extend limits of player buying ability, round out 4-5 star skills in all areas

By segmenting your overall goal into more attainable limits one by one, there will be more sense of structure in the decisions made at the onset of your first season. In no way should this be treated as a very strict guidance on how to proceed in your career as certain short term objectives make be accomplished earlier than planned. The ability to adapt and reassess your current week-by-week plan of attack will seperate you from a great deal of unpredictable managers you will find in your travels around the gameworld.

This being a “first season” guide, the focus of this part will deal only with goals and planning for your first month of FML play. (Remember, each season is approximately one month long in real time) Your initial foray into the gameworld may seem overwhelming at first with the amount of sheer information available and activity sparking left and right. Learning to focus your energy only on tasks that will further you in your first season expectations is a key quality in management. From your first login, diving into implementing your basic opening strategy is only a click away.

It is important to reiterate a critical fact that was addressed in the Fundamental Truths. Due to the financial restrictions new users have when starting in a gameworld, you will not be able to afford world class players right away. The budget for your initial starting squad is 500k which will be sufficient in allowing you to purchase a basic team with some cover players. This selection process will also only include players not affiliated currently with a club. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of adequate talent available to sign and be competitive at your level.

Once ranked (typically after a handful of friendlies) you will start to receive a daily income deposited into your bank account (which accrues interest by the way). This additional money will be used to pay fees, wages and other expenses you incur. In addition, the bank will allow you to accumulate a certain amount of debt based on a monthly repayment projection and charge interest on the balance. This overdraft limit is gradually increased on the basis of your daily profit index quite similarly to the real world of finance in a crude credit rating built into the game. A more detailed view of this aspect of play will be addressed later in the guide.

After only several days of play, you will have enough wiggle room in your budget to address further needs and shape your squad in different aspects and directions. Although there can be a multitude of strategies all with different specific means to an end and nuances abundant, almost all will generally fit into two categories - the reputation route and the potential route.

The Reputation Route: A Proven Approach For Proven Results

When looking at lower division sides in real life football, one of the predominant types of players assembled as a crucial part of the squad are experienced veterans. Once possibly a vital member of a top class side, they have reached the declining points of their career and in their age can no longer compete at the top level. This doesn’t mean these players cannot be valuable for a smaller club as their skills are still trumping many of existing squads in the division. Combine this with good mental abilities and a proven track record and their contributions are highly useful for a club to succeed.

Assmbling a squad consisting primarily of these types in your first season of FML is a widely viable strategy. A virtual cross section of a typical veteran would be in the age range of 29-34, match rating average in the 6.75 area and attributes in the low teens (possibly higher in mental abilities). While your club may not explode and massvely overachieve, it is a safe bet that you won’t find the club at the bottom of the table come the end of the season. A likely outcome will be a steady incremental rise in the world rankings, mid-to-late stage results in some cup competitions and a higher club reputation overall.Your typical goal is to cement a solid standing in the gameworld with finances in order so that a more comprehensive approach in any direction can be attempted in the next season or two.

Th pitfalls of such a strategy is quite evident in the age of your squad. Without proper intervention and an influx of new talent at a later stage, your players will decline in skills and with that your match results. Users that utilize this general opening approach must understand that your squad will likely be turned over almost entirely at the completion of the season in order to sign prime age players and younger talent. Consider this squad as “temp” workers as you build up enough of a nest egg in your bank account to invest in more expensive higher risk signings and strategies.

Pros:

• ability to compete effectively with more established sides and challenge for competitions
• increased daily income allotment due to higher overall club reputation level and ranking
• positive adaptation of varied tactical options in your skill set
• players more consistent in performing up to the expected standards of their price tag

Cons:

• expenditures will be comparitively high as older players demand increased wages
• inability to field competitive youth squads and partake in homegrown player development
• ineffectiveness of coaching skills to increase player attributes
• players not likely to retain acquisition fee value in transfer market with demand low

The Potential Route: The Rise and Fall Through Unpredictability

Getting back to lower division sides in real life football, another one of the predominant types of players evident in many squads are raw young talents. These teenage players were brought up through youth academies and scouted from all regions of the world for their basic footballer’s template they possess. Their abilities are not well refined and show glaring deficiences in certain aspects of play, but the potential is there with enough nurturing to develop these players into top class stars. Most will not end up in the world’s best eleven, actually most may not even progress any further in skill than they currently show. It is this aura of homegrown molding combined with a low wage budget that help these clubs survive and with a bit of luck, propel themselves up the divisional structure to the premier league.

Asseembling a squad consisting primarily of these types in your first season of FML is also a widely viable strategy. A virtual cross section of a typical youngster would be in the age of 15-21, match rating average in the 6.55 area (senior) and technical/mental attributes in the single digits with possibly much higher physical ability. Compared to the previously explained route, the results of your first season’s work may be extremely unpredictable. With a squad with lower overall attributes for the level of play, it will be fairly difficult to keep up with your rivals right away. Due to the young relative age, your club will be greatly affected mentally so streaks of brilliance mixed with periods of complete ineptitude will be common. Expect a see-saw in your world ranking, early exits in many cup competitions (senior) and a lower club reputation overall. Your typical goal is to sacrifice success in the first season, speculate a lot with cheap youth and horde money to attempt a more explosive quick rising approach in the next season or two.

Pros:

• expenditures will be significantly low as younger players do not demand high wages
• squad size can be fairly large and need for adequate cover is redundant with player talent seperation low
• ability to field competitive youth squads in competitions and partake in homegrown player development
• players likely to increase acquisition fee value in transfer market with demand high for quality youth
• effectiveness of coaching skills to increase player attributes (if potential allows it)

Cons:

• inability to compete effectively with more established sides and unpredictable strings of results
• decreased daily income allotment due to lower overall club reputation level and ranking
• ineffectiveness to adapt advanced tactical skills to your squad
• very high percentage of “duds” and the need to rotate players on a constant basis
• difficulty in securing high potential players with increased competition in auctions by richer managers

These two generalized examples of common themes in approaching the first season of FML are on the extreme sides of the spectrum and obviously the truth lies somewhere in the middle. The beauty of the game is that the choice is totally up to you to mix and match certain objectives as any strategy can succeed in the ever changing environment of the gameworld. Presenting readers with concepts they can digest and then use as they see fit is the general theme of this part. It is important though nonetheless to have a focused sets of achievable goals in place before the first season is under way. While not a requirement to succeed, it will increase your chances of performing well over the course of your career and you can refine the techniques in this guide to suit your needs.

In the next chapter, we’ll discuss the options you have in selecting your initial squad, why this period offers you a great one-time strategic advantage and how to accurately decipher/differentiate between the pages of available players for you to choose.