FM27 Tips: 20 Things to Do in Your First Season

Whether you're new to Football Manager or coming back after FM26, these 20 FM27 tips will help your first season in Football Manager 27 (FM27) go well. They cover setting up your save, your first week in charge, staff, transfers, training and matchdays, plus the new features worth learning early.

FM27 tips before you start: database and leagues

1. Choose a database size your PC can handle

More leagues and players means more to discover, but a slower game. On the setup screen, keep an eye on the game speed reading as you add leagues. If it drops too far, take some leagues out. You can always add players from other countries through a bigger database size instead of making every league playable.

2. Load the leagues you'll scout, not every league

Think about where you'll sign players from. If you're managing in England, loading Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and South America gives you plenty of talent without slowing the game down. If you manage outside England, do the same for the countries your league usually buys from.

3. Set your Continue Flow

New in FM27, Continue Flow decides how much the game stops to ask you things. Choose Streamlined, Balanced or Comprehensive, or build your own with Custom. Start with Balanced and change it once you know what you like.

4. Keep your preview save

If you played the free launch preview, your save carries over to the full game, so you don't have to start again.

Your first week in charge

5. Check who's out of contract

Players whose deals end this season will leave for nothing, or ask for a big new contract. Decide early who to keep. If you're the buyer, our contracts ending list shows the best players you could get on a pre-contract.

6. Read the new news feed properly

FM27 splits the news: transfer and world news are separate from your own "For You" feed. There's also a new Competitions Hub. Check both, because injuries, board messages and transfer offers are easy to miss. Cup draws are interactive again too: you can watch the draw, draw the next team yourself, draw everyone at once or let the game auto-draw.

7. Look at Tactical Effectiveness before you change anything

FM27 builds on the old Tactical Familiarity with Tactical Effectiveness, made of Tactical Understanding, Player Ability, Player Buy-In and Next Match Information. Before you rip up your predecessor's tactics, check how effective your squad is in them. Sometimes the best first move is a small change.

Getting the right staff

8. Hire scouts who can judge players

Your scouts' judging of ability and potential decides how accurate your star ratings are. Staff attributes are still shown in words, so look for "Excellent" or better. Our FM27 scouting guide explains what else to look for.

9. Listen to your staff

Staff advice comes more often in FM27, including during matches with suggested tactical tweaks. You don't have to follow it, but it'll often spot something you've missed. FM27's new Touchline Tactical Tweaks also let you make quick changes during a match, so you can act on that advice straight away instead of waiting for half-time.

10. Take concussions seriously

FM27 adds a concussion protocol: a player has to be cleared by a neurologist before he plays again. Don't build your next team selection around someone who's just taken a knock to the head.

Transfers and contracts

11. Check the Tactical Effectiveness gauge before you bid

The gauge now appears on the Recruitment screen and in scout reports. A brilliant player who doesn't suit your system can be a waste of money.

12. Watch for sell-on fees

FM27 shows sell-on fees in scout reports, and clubs ask for more when they're owed a cut. Factor that into what you offer.

13. Decide early on agent offers

Agents keep offering players for the whole window, and the price rises as the deadline gets closer. If you like someone, move early. If you're waiting for a bargain, accept it might not come.

14. Promise young players game time

Young players care more about playing time in FM27. If you want a wonderkid, be ready to offer him minutes, or he'll pick a club that will.

15. Use free agents and loans when money is tight

There are good players without a club at the start of every save. Our free agents list and bargains under £1m are the quickest way to strengthen a small squad. Transfer Deadline Day is back in FM27 too, so keep some budget for late opportunities.

If you're in Europe, also check your finances before a spending spree. FM27 adds Squad Cost Ratio rules, based on UEFA's limit on how much of a club's income can go on wages and transfers.

Training and youth

16. Train for the next opponent

FM27's training sessions focus on your next opponent, replacing the old units system. Training now has its own place in the main menu, and you can copy and paste plans again. Set a plan for a normal week and copy it.

17. Keep an eye on player load

You can now see each player's load. Rotate players with a heavy load before they pick up injuries, especially during busy December fixtures.

18. Give your best youngsters minutes

Youth intakes in FM27 have more variety. If you've got a good one, give him cup games and late substitute appearances. Players who are young and ready can go straight into your team.

Matchdays

19. Keep tactics simple at smaller clubs

FM27 has a new measure called Tactical Complexity. Complicated tactics are less effective for lower league squads. If you manage in League Two, a simple, well-drilled system beats a clever one your players can't follow.

20. Don't judge your defence on highlights alone

Early players have noticed that Key Highlights can make your defending look worse than it really is. Before you change your back line, watch longer highlights or check the match stats.

Quick FM27 tips checklist

Short on time? Here's the whole list in one place:

• Set your database size, leagues and Continue Flow before you start.
• In week one, check contracts, news and Tactical Effectiveness before changing anything.
• Hire scouts who judge ability and potential well, and listen to your staff.
• Check Tactical Effectiveness, sell-on fees and the agent's price before every bid.
• Offer young players real minutes.
• Use free agents, loans and Deadline Day when money is tight.
• Train for the next opponent, watch player load and give your best youngsters a chance.
• Keep tactics simple at smaller clubs, and don't judge your defence on highlights alone.

Mistakes to avoid in your first FM27 season

• Selling your best players in July. Wait until you know how your new signings settle.
• Spending the whole budget straight away. Keep some for injuries and Deadline Day.
• Changing everything at once. New tactics, new players and new training at the same time make it impossible to know what's working.
• Ignoring work permits. If you manage in England, read our FM27 work permits guide before bidding for foreign players.

Need players? Our FM27 lists cover wonderkids, free agents, bargains and more. FM Shadow Scout recommends players from your own save without showing any hidden numbers.

Questions

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