It won’t be long until the newest annual edition of the Football Manager series hits PCs, ready to bring spreadsheet glory to all you amateur soccer coaches. Often, the updates to the series are usually just a shiny coat of pain over last year’s model but, occasionally, the series makes a few large leaps forward.
Football Manager 2018 looks like it might be a larger leap for the series.
Although the series could probably use another graphical overhaul in the near future, many of the changes coming to the newest iteration appear to be under the hood. Managers will have more of an impact on player relationships and how the squad gels. The tactics and scouting systems are both getting much-needed reworks as well.
A new video also shows a significant improvement coming in the way the Football Manager series handles player health. Watch below to see how savvy managers can use sports science to keep their players healthy and burning up the pitch:
Sports scientists were introduced in Football Manager 2017, but there was not much to work with on that front and their role was limited. They will play a much more substantial role in this iteration. Whereas physios will handle player recovery from injuries, successfully using sports science will (ideally) keep your players from ever being injured in the first place.
Not only will this keep your best players available for important matches, but it will also prevent stat deterioration from major injuries. No one wants their speedster striker going down with an ACL injury, as they just may never be the same again.
Hopefully, these systems add even more depth to what can already be quite an intricate simulation. Football Manager 2018, and its new systems will release on PC November 10. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
