A theory on Training in FMM2016

[Dec]

A common theme with every release of Football Manager Mobile/Handheld is the weakening of Intensive Training. While I am happy with this decision as I feel one training shouldn't work for everyone (even more so lower leagues) the addition of coaches has led me to ask a few questions on its future. Throughout this I will explore what training is currently by framing Intensive Training and in doing so I will explore the future of the system following the introduction of coaches in 2016.

 

What is Intensive Training?

In short form, it is a training method that is designed to push the limits of your players no matter what division with very few tweaks. Its aim is to get the best out of each player and make their attributes shoot up. In 2015 it was split up per position and player role, however before that it would just be split into categories such as attacking and defending. Back when it was created it was simply a goalkeeper and outfielder training. The name is given after everything that is relevant being put onto intensive but as the game evolved the lower league players would struggle with this method.

 

FMH2014 Intensive Training

How do coaches Work?

Marc Vaughan, creator of the game, states that "...coaches have various badges which indicate their ability and they have a style of coaching which indicates their potential effect on a team."

My assumption is that coaches therefore increase attributes more in a specific area like a 'steroid boost' in free to play games. You will see more growth in certain areas that coaches are focused on despite player attributes not suiting to this.

 

Why is this an issue?

The first obvious question for me is how will the game balance out these boosts? Will this mean training is only 75% of the growth now and to get the potential do you have to combine the right coaches with the right players? These are all questions that only playing the game will answer. Yet I am concerned at the latter question. Players should be able to reach their potential even if the coach isn't suited for the player, it just means that he will be more rounded or less responsive to training. 

 

What about Intensive Training?

Intensive Training has always been "plug and play" where you don't have to edit it much after you put a player on it - unless they are complaining or you change their role. With coaches will this ruin Intensive Training? Meaning that a coach will have to be suited for which players you want to develop. With Intensive Training I wonder whether there will be a coaching regime that will maximise every single player to the best of their ability.

 

My Theory

I believe there won't be a coaching regime that fits everyone. I believe coaches will be good at developing certain attributes but an attacking coach will give an attribute boost but won't be good at evolving the overall game of a youth player like a youth coach. If you intend to play many youngsters then their performance may be hindered by not having a youth coach. Overall it may be a performance v attribute case and while a team with a defending, attacking and goalkeeping coach may seem desirable this could have an effect on how the match pans out when losing or fielding an unhappy team. Coaches will be designed to bring balance to the squad and motivation can impact all areas, not just development. With this in mind it will mean that a balance between what I will call "multi-focused" coaches and "focused" coaches will be desirable and the only way to pick these would be based on your style of management.

 

Of course I could be totally wrong and you could have a fair few slots (5 or more) which means you could have a good mix, if this is the case then it could be entirely possible that there will be a winning formulae like the training before. However as Sports Interactive shift away from this and look for more realism and difficulty in training it seems unlikely.

 

Edited October 24, 2015 by Dec