Manager Mode is one of the most lasting FIFA game modes, and is available again in FIFA 09. The general concept is that you play the role of the manager of your team of choice. You are responsible for buying new players, organizing scouting trips, general management of the team, and not to mention actually controlling the team in games. Something to note: manager mode in FIFA 09 is very easy if you start off with an already successful and wealthy club, it is very entertaining to play with a club that is not so and progressively build them up to this status, but you can choose to play however you want.

 

Starting

To start a new Manager Mode campaign, Main Menu - Game Modes - Manager Mode - New Manager Mode. From there, select your team, give your manager a name, and set your preferred settings. Your first task will be to select a sponsorship; do not just look at “Match Funding” as some sponsorships prove to be more lucrative than others even if their Match Funding number is low, as they make up for it in added bonuses, which you have to complete certain season goals in order to receive

 

Manager Stats

The Manager Mode interface has two panels, one having the league table, next match, top scorers, and tournament fixtures. On the next panel, you can see your three key stats: Manager Prestige will be affected by how well your team does. Job Security will be determined by how you handle certain situations you are asked to deal with via the message center. Often, the correct response is entirely random and the board may react to your decisions entirely different then they would have another time. Fan Appreciation is sort of like Manager Prestige, in that it is directly related to how well your team is performing, but it is also affected by message center situations like the ones that affect Job Security, but these situations are more centered towards fans. Often, you will be given difficult situations where you have to try and please both the board and the fans. On this second panel you can also see your current budget and whether the transfer window is open or not.

 

Player Growth

Over time, players will accumulate “Exp.” which you can spend to raise their stats. Stats are on a number scale up to level 99. For example, if you wanted to raise the Finishing stat of a certain player, you would have to spend exp. to do so, and as you get closer to 99, the cost of raising a level increases. It is possible to set Auto-Growth, in which the computer automatically uses the exp. earned to raise the players' stats so you don't have to take the time to do so after every match. However, if you have the time to, I recommend not doing this, as it is more beneficial to raise the more important stats first, which the computer may not always do.

 

Staff

By going to Staff Upgrades, you can upgrade certain members of your team staff. Position Coaches are useful to level up because if a player's position coach has a higher level, his exp. per game is increased, which allows your players to grow more skilled faster. Your Fitness Coach will aid in the post-match recovery of your players, leading to decreased fatigue during their next games. Your Head Scout is involved in scouting players, explained in the next section. By upgrading the level of your head scout, your scouting trips will be more successful. By increasing the level of your Negotiator, the transfer of new players will be increasingly easier and transfer targets will be less likely to reject your offer. By upgrading your Stadium Manager, you can increase your stadium size which leads to more potential tickets to be sold. From this screen, you can also increase the price of admission to your stadium, which is useful for smaller clubs. Keep in mind that people may be less likely to attend your games if the ticket price is too high, so experiment to see what yields the most revenue.

 

Scouting Trips

Sending your scout on a scouting trip is a mixed bag. Usually, he comes back with a half decent player, but every once in awhile he finds a very talented player. You can set trip length and location which both increase the odds of finding a good player, and this is also helped by having a higher leveled scout, but it is primarily a matter of luck.