Geek Review: Football Manager 2024

For most things, having all the information at your fingertips is usually the best way forward, as it leaves less room for doubt. But not all things are made like Football Manager 2024, the latest in Sports Interactive and Sega’s long-running sports management juggernaut. In this world, the numbers make it possible for a myriad of football fantasies to unfold, grabbing players’ attention and emotions, and holding them hostage for weeks and months to come as the season progresses.  

For the uninitiated, this means poring over spreadsheet after spreadsheet of player statistics, training routines, backroom staff, club structures, and so much more, strategising to craft together a winning team and tactics that can take on all comers and win the biggest prizes of the sport. 

If all of that doesn’t sound like fun to you, then the newest entry will not change your mind. There is a reason why the series has succeeded over the years with its data-driven focus, text-based menus, and in between, football matches taking place in 3D that, more often than not, throw up a surprise or two, both pleasant and unpleasant.

Having come off a relatively lacklustre season last year, Football Manager 2024 is back on form with its new tweaks and additions, enhancing the strong foundational formula for one more crack at domination on the grass pitches, like bringing in several new faces to give a team a brand new look. 

This is perhaps most apparent during matchdays, particularly within the confines of the pitch itself. Forget about the crowds looking like copies of each other; the players are better looking than ever before, and move with a more natural likeness that brings it closer to the actual game. 

Positional play has been something Sports Interactive has been keen to upgrade, and the fruits of that labour have become quite clear. When you set a team up to always have a free man for passing triangles, having the right players will make it happen seamlessly during the match. The same goes for teams looking to build a low block and defend for their lives to win a point, and the latest trend of having an inverted full-back can also be done.

Player roles also figure heavily into the improvement, as there is more flexibility for your team to move as a unit and find space when attacking, and cover ground more effectively when the ball is lost. The fluidity and intelligence are certainly enhancements to marvel at, as are the animations of players and general ball movement. Will it ever rival the pizzazz and showmanship of the likes of EA Sports FC 24? The answer is a resounding no, but that subpar visual fidelity has its own charm.

For managers hoping to wring even more out of their squad in Football Manager 2024, the new set piece creator is quite a joy to play with, even for the most novice of players. Instead of throwing into the deep end, there is a natural progression and learning curve to churning out a smart routine, whether it be an in-swinging or out-swinging corner, down to who’s making the decoy runs and who is the actual target. The defensive side also gets the same level of detail and treatment.

Together with the new set piece coaches, also throws in more actionable data about corners and the like, making it much easier to digest and figure out what’s right and wrong. Nothing comes quite close to the satisfaction of celebrating a goal made on the training field, or watching a swift counter develop from nullifying your opponent’s set piece.

Of course, even with the best-laid plans, having committed and happy players allows all of that to happen. It is always more fun to deal with individuals and the team than deleting emails all day, and there is more to this side of things to sink your teeth into this year. 

Things are more rosy when you are winning, but how about when things go wrong? Squad players cannot always sit on the bench, and the youth players will continue knocking on the door. Man management is a key part of the manager’s arsenal in Football Manager 2024, and to help with that, the game now allows for more nuance in negotiations during player interactions.

Want more money or a more prominent role? Try hitting five goals as a sub, and we can start talking. For young prodigies hoping to skip the line, training improvements can be a great motivator and goal as well. Follow through, and you just might create the most harmonious, winning squad, but we all know things change, and when promises are broken, it can get ugly; such is the fun of managing athletes in a high-pressure environment. 

The refined interaction system also applies to the agents and AI managers as well, who are more tactical when it comes to ensuring the best deal for themselves. Gone are the days when you could offload a player for more than they are worth, with form and reputation now more important considerations for the buying party. Teams will also buy more suitable talents for their own setups, rather than take in a big name to fit a square peg into a round hole. Expect to have more resistance when it comes to the transfer market, which is a realistic depiction, more so when Financial Fair Play rules are to be obeyed.

Just remember, between all of these more obvious engagements as a leader in the world of Football Manager 2024, there is that day-to-day grind of menus and data to wade through. There is a bigger leap when it comes to immersion and making things count for more this year, but for the most part, this is familiar territory. It is hardly for the faint-hearted, but for those willing to put weeks and months into this addictive experience, there is nothing better out there than The Beautiful Game, especially when you are at the helm. 

Football Manager 2024 is available on Steam for S$59.00.