I am starting a new Manager Mode with Norwich City (2.5 star team). I played a few friendly matches with Coventry, Norwich and Southampton to decide who to take over and I opted for Norwich.
I remember their European efforts of 1993 becoming the first English club to defeat Bayern Munich at the Olympic Stadium. And also in the inaugral season in the Premier League where they led for much of the season to be pipped by Manchester Utd and Aston Villa in the run-in. Hopefully I can emulate similar success in my Manager Mode.
To be honest I don’t know much about their current squad other than I noticed that there are a few players who have played in the SPL. Ex Celtic and Scotland goalkeeper David Marshall, John Kennedy (on loan from Celtic) Mark Fotheringham and Simon Lappin.
EDIT: I did a little research into the Norwich squad and found that there are 8 players on loan from other clubs. That’s a hell of a lot of players to bring in on a temporary basis.
John Kennedy (on loan from CELTIC) Antoine Sibierski (WIGAN) Arturo Lupoil (FIORENTINA) Ryan Bertrand (CHELSEA) Elliot Omozusi (FULHAM) Omar Koroma (PORTSMOUTH) Troy Archibald-Henville (TOTTENHAM) and Leroy Lita (READING).
The main reason I opted for Norwich was -
I have created a virtual of myself ‘Heraldo’ and out of the 3 teams I tried above, Norwich was the only team in which I would be able to play with the number 7 jersey. Number 7 was the strip number I wore in my playing days at Professional and Semi-Professional level. Disgracefully EA have ommitted number selection in FIFA 09.
Also, their home strip also resembles the Celtic away kit and I like their all black away kit.
Manager Mode ‘HOUSE RULES’
FIFA has a weakness in that it is possible to sign ‘Star’ players regardless of your teams league status. I will be keeping it realistic, in that I can only sign players who would realistically sign for Norwich in their current predicament.
I can’t sign any player from a team ranked above me. Which rules out most of the leagues, top clubs and higher ranked clubs in the division currently playing.
New signings overall Rating will not be higher than the highest rated Norwich player who is currently David Marshall with an Overall 72.
A salary cap of £5000 per week (which rules out any players of real quality) Norwich’s highest earner is Antoine Sibierski £4200 per week.
All of these rules will be re-addressed based upon future success.
There will be no signings until the January transfer window other than my created player. My created player has an overall rating of 65 and is designated as a CF and enters the Norwich squad from the free transfers at the start of your Manager Mode. As I mentioned I am only aware of a few of the players and will give each a chance.
Financial Summary
Starting Budget £3,015,000
Weekly Sponsor Income £244,310
Weekly Wages £60,940
I should have a healthy budget come the end of the season.
Difficulty Levels
I will be playing the game on World Class with the following settings
I am really looking forward to this MM as already I have noticed the difference in the feel of the players opposed to the Celtic and Valencia MM’s I play. FIFA 09 there is a difference in terms of how the bigger and smaller clubs perform as well as the ’star’ players. This wasn’t the case in 08, where every team and player felt similar.
Staffing Upgrades
I am leaving the Staffing upgrades at the default levels. The fitness upgrade is at level 3, which is low and will almost definitely mean that I will have to rotate the squad every match. This is fine as it will give me an opportunity to test the ability of each player. Then I may address the fitness upgrade at a later date, as every professional player should be able to play every week.
Can Norwich return to the higher echelons of the English game?
I have played the opening matches and it is interesting how different the game feels compared with my other careers with Celtic and Valencia. I will be posting everyday my progress, feel free to discuss your own Manager Mode career and any comments regarding my ‘house rules’.
heraldo - Snap… I’ve got Monday’s post all queued up and it’s about House Rules too.
I’ve got similar rules to your own. I haven’t been so specific about not signing players rated higher than my current highest-rated player, but that’s the gist of it.
But… I’m finding it so hard on WC. I’ll probably have to drop down to Professional again just to start having proper games again. My Coventry boys just can’t do it for me. We’re so programmed into playing PES for years on Top Player that it feels wrong to think about it but I might have to do it. New-style FIFA is so hard at higher levels with poorer clubs and players
Hi Greg
I am going to state that FIFA 09 is the best game I have ever played on a console.
It has took the first few games of my Norwich City career to highlight how much FIFA 09 has evolved. The difference in players is huge from the likes of Celtic, Valencia and Portsmouth.
It affects all areas of the game - Passing, Shooting and Strength really comes into it with weaker sides.
I might have to address the signing policy as I am having mixed fortunes on World Class but I still won’t be signing ’star’ players from higher ranked clubs. I may opt for players on loan or reserve players from bigger clubs but I will definitely stick to Overall cannot be higher than my highest rated player. Come the end of the season I will be able to get average players as my players ratings will rise.
I can’t go back to Professional as the ease of the tackling ruins it for me along with the AI incompetence in front of goal.
Mastering WC will be an achievement especially with this Norwich side and will definitely help when playing online.
It will be interesting to compare both our ‘MM’.
I am really struggling to get an internet reception on-board. It’s pot luck. Mostly late at night is the best reception, probably due to the heavy machinery on all day.
heraldo - it’s certainly one mother of a tough game! Are you any great distance into your season yet…. Can you believe how hard it is?! Or are you finding it easier than me? If so I’d love to hear your approach to each game.
It’s astonishing, the difference between playing FIFA09 on the same settings with good or great players (Atletico) and with average or poor players (Coventry). It’s like two completely different games. FIFA has well and truly buried the old criticism about all players and teams feeling the same.
I think I might need to go and play my Atletico career for a bit. Or lie down in a darkened room.
Greg
It is hard on World Class with Valencia, never mind Norwich. I have played 12 games of the season so far. This is the level of toughness I have been looking for. I want to post a couple of AI goals which I have never seen before in a FIFA game. They punish all my mistakes.
I am posting tomorrow on the differences in passing, shooting, control and the one attribute that shines against my Norwich players, Strength.
I may have to review my transfer salary cap but not the ratings. U have a few Scottish players I know from outside the ‘Old Firm”.
I will write about my approach to certain games. I don’t want to give you inside info with the up and coming league on Feb
Oh, talking about leagues I have a league running on ship 8 of the boys Tuesday and Thursdays on the projector in the bar. Good crack and great to play humans.
Good luck with your career. I want to hear where you are struggling. You would have gathered from our games how I approach the games. Be good to compare and help each other out.
ps bloody cabin is like a sweat box as I type this