I’ve sold players for more than they are worth and I’ve bought young players whose value should skyrocket in coming years. I’ll hopefully jump ship to greater things in a couple of years’ time and because I can add any league, I could be heading to Korea or to the Americas, to Europe or to Australasia. That’s a very good thing because it opens up the world, allowing all kinds of stories to unfold.
And that’s what Football Manager is really all about. Narrative. As with my favourite grand strategy titles, it allows me to oversee a series of abstract numbers and names, and create entire histories and futures for them. It doesn’t just simulate football matches, or even leagues – it simulates the world of football, with all manner of details from World Cup bids to agent-player-manager relationships playing out behind the scenes.