The FM Technical Area - A Football Manager Podcast

Welcome to the Technical Area, your FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Football has evolved. Possession of the ball is not enough. Energy and aggression now fuel the game. With an increasing number of teams opting for 3-player midfields, and so we often see teams operating with a “lone striker”, we’re seeing a steady decline in teams operating with a standard #10. So, where have they...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. If the 4-3-3 is the perfect formation, what makes a Perfect Midfield Three at the heart of it? Or, if you're thinking in another way, how can a midfield three be the heart of something else? Whatever it is you're thinking, we're discussing all things balance, creativity, and movement alongside  Sources: https...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Today, hope to have a lighter tone and start with the biggest outlier on a football pitch - the Goalkeeper. As football's definition of a Goalkeeper has evolved from the non-footballer to the deepest-lying playmaker, just what makes a good goalkeeper and how can we build a School of Goalkeepers at our club? Source...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Today, we take a narrowing look at fullbacks/wingbacks. What is the lure of inverting the run? Is there a better way to narrow the runs of a fullback? How best do we use Inverted Fullbacks/Wingbacks? Let's get into it here! Sources: https://breakingthelines.com/tactical-analysis/tactical-analysis-inverted-fullback...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Today, we take a broad look at formations before honing in on 4-3-3. What makes it so popular? Why do teams use it? And, is it an inevitability that you'll end up using it in FM? Just before you head off, why not subscribe (if you haven't already), leave a positive review, or share on your socials with your follow...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Today, we're all about the bumpy starts, when your tactical principles come into question as results bring everything into question. So, should you stick, or should you twist? Just before you head off, why not subscribe (if you haven't already), leave a positive review, or share on your socials with your followers...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. This week, we're talking about the end - the end of the save you've just started? Do you go all season on one save, or will your save have twists and turns as you embark on an adventure? How do you know then when the time is right to begin the next adventure? Extra reading on the topic:  Living on the Volcano...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your  FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo.  This week, we're talking all things the First Season, something many of us will have to navigate in the coming week as FM22 finds its way onto our laptops on Tuesday! Just before you head off, why not subscribe (if you haven't already), leave a positive review, or share on your socials with your followers i...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your  FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. So, I'm back. New Season, New Me but no FM Touch 22 to fuel the journey. So, a short rant to get things started again, before the opportunity comes to get this show back on the road. Just before you head off, why not subscribe (if you haven't already), leave a positive review, or share on your socials with your f...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your  FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Starting something new this episode, with the 60s dedicated to some controversial discussions. So, although Ep62 is recorded, why not get involved in the upcoming Episodes? Send in you thoughts through Twitter polls or comments, DMs on Twitter, through email or even a voice message/recording! Every contribution i...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your  FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Starting something new this episode, with the 60s dedicated to some controversial discussions. So, although Ep61 is recorded, why not get involved in the upcoming Episodes? Send in you thoughts through Twitter polls or comments, DMs on Twitter, through email or even a voice message/recording! Every contribution i...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Back to one of our favourite miniseries, the Managers in Focus series. This time, it’s not just one, but some of the big figures on the MLS ahead of the 2021 season. Maybe we can find some inspiration in these undervalued characters. Sources:  https://www.mlssoccer.com/mls-coaching-tree  https://footba...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Your heart breaks when you see the news. Your talisman, your icon, the heartbeat of your team is leaving. Whether it's a retirement, transfer or contract-ending decision. you are now left in the unenviable position of needing to fill the gap they're leaving. Whether you saw it coming or not, we discuss how best...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Fixture Congestion is becoming a regular topic of conversation as impact of COVID-19 on football is still felt one year on. As the next few seasons will continue to feel the burden of extra games in shorter timeframes with the alterations of seasons due to the Winter World Cup in 2022 and the arrival of the Euro...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. It's one thing getting to the top. It's another thing staying there. It's also easy to go all out and put your eggs in the short term basket of success. But how do you ensure the trophies keep coming in? We discuss some of the models to success that could send us to the top, and keep us there, in FM. Sources: ht...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Having a steady stream of young players developing through a club can have many positives - financially, philosophically, tactically. So, why set one up? How to set one up? How do others go about doing it and why do they do it? Let's take a look. Sources: https://www.the42.ie/league-of-ireland-brexit-youth-playe...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Ah, the 4-4-2, a simpler time when everyone played the same tactic and no surprises were sprung. But while the world has become more obsessed with complexity, I want to get into the simpler side of life, where the 4-4-2 isn't just the 4-4-2. Sources: https://www.footballmanager.com/the-byline/how-create-simple-w...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. We're back to our regular programming this week, with an Episode dedicated to a topic that I've been spending a lot of time considering and researching - Abandoning the specialist roles of FM tactics and throwing it back to the plain and simple approach. Why not?! Just before you head off to experience the light...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. It's been a while since I last spoke to you. So, this is just a short & sweet episode to say hello, touch base, and fill you in on everything that's been happening since December 18th. Not a content-driven episode, but there's some excitement about what could happen next week! Just before you head off to exp...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. FM Touch offers players the spirit of FM, despite some compromises on what may be offered. Since 1992, Championship Manager & Football Manager have become aa part of the footballing landscape, drawing in avid players from inside and outside the world of professional football. Since 2005’s release of Football...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Way back when, SI teased us with the prospect of FM21’s new features, among them, the introduction of the Recruitment Meeting featuring the key stakeholders of the Football Club – The Chairman, Chief Scout, Director of Football (if one is at the club) and of course, you the Manager stood out as a significant evo...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Jack Charlton is a rare individual, living fondly in the hearts of both Englishmen and Irishmen thanks to his contributions to the football teams of both nations, but also because of what he brought to the people of Ireland at a time in our country when life was at it most bleak. Jack’s playing legacy brought su...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. “In sports , a dynasty is a team or individual that dominates their sport or league for an extended length of time. Some leagues maintain official lists of dynasties , often as part of a hall of fame, but in many cases, whether a team or individual has achieved a dynasty is subjective.” “Legacy is that which is...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. Look across Europe, and the trend is obvious - Managers don’t last long in the job. The days of Wenger, of Sir Alex Ferguson are over. When you loaded up FM21 for the first time, you began the process of beginning a project. On The First Day, it’s all about setting the foundation for success, so beginning the sa...

Welcome to the Technical Area, your weekly FM podcast brought to you by Gaffer Graemo. This week, we're looking at a few bits and pieces, from FM21 Beta reaction, the revised data & Advanced Metrics the headline FM21 and of course, the recognising those who've felt underwhelmed by FM21's beta Sources: https://footballdata.wyscout.com/advanced-metrics/ https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/what-...