Becoming A Good Football Manager

Is it possible without having a history of football in your life? What I mean by this is that I really don't know how my squad should be used. I don't have the knowledge or understanding to have a vision of what they should be doing other than trying to put the ball in the net. I look at all of the team instructions and player instructions and basically my response is, 'I don't know if they should be trying this or not.' Where should I start in gaining understanding of my players and how I should be using them? I'm fearing that this lack of instinct and knowledge could become a detriment in the enjoyment of a game that I really like. I get lucky and win some matches, but I guarantee you it's not because I know what I'm doing as a coach. Are there any comprehensive resources that can get me on the right path? I want to do more than just play; I want to be able to make good decisions.

Suggest buying The book FM ruined my life, quality read and will give you insights into the game

as above
and take a look at some of the videos here of users career updates

you really need to look the tactics as its very important https://community.sigames.com/forum/19-tactics-training-strategies-discussion/
lots of info out there too much really you could spend days reading up its a question of how deep you want to go

play the game and fail, you will fail once, twice, maybe 10 times but in every carreer you'll learn something new and u will become better ^^

Thanks for the reply, but I think my problems run deeper than that. For example, as I'm watching the match I can see what I might perceive to be problems in what my team is doing. But I don't know what the corrective actions are due to my lack of understanding of football itself and the options and descriptions of those options that are available to me. As a comparison, I know baseball quite well. I know what each player's job is and what he's supposed to do. If something is not working on a field I know what to change, and I know what tactical approaches to take in a given situation. I don't have that same knowledge when it comes to football.

I've been buggering this game up every single save since 2013, my advice is read on it, as said above, and simply get stuck in with it, be a nerd, tweak those training regimes until they fit, try different player instructions, play that 8-1-1 formation if you want! Reload saves if it helps you learn too. The point of it is to enjoy it, not to do well (though the two do go in tandem sometimes), you don't have to be totally white collar stick to the rules yada yada, just play the game how you want to play it and don't be afraid to get stuck in with the intimidating stuff, and ask for help when it gets too much.

yes agree if you dont know much about the game or real life football there is a lot of info out there take sometime to research it and then give it a go
have a practice run to get familiar with game layout and what you can do its a question as well of how immersed you get
some users play 30 plus seasons in the time I will play one they delegate day to day stuff to ass man /DOF and just want to play match days...thats not for me, but each to their own we buy the game and it is up to us how we play it
I like to do everything in detail even go to games to 'scout' players tweak training/tactics and have the game as up to date as possible to real life before I start a save

@ kingrobbo Same! I'm a day-to-day kind of manager (perhaps because I play football as a hobby and love the grind of the regular training sessions, physical workout and body maintenance - you know, stretching, planning my workout schedule around upcoming matches and all that - even more than the actual matches). I progress very slowly in my saves, but I do get really immersed in them, get to know my players' strengths and weaknesses really well and immensely enjoy every bit of tactical, player developmental or competition-related success.

I like starting saves almost as roleplay stories (local lad takes charge of his favorite team etc.) or enter an interesting short-term scenario to manage a team in (try and guide a team under relegation-threat into safety or win promotion back into the top flight etc.). Most often I pick an underdog team and try to rescue and stabilise them while developing the club's own youth prospects if the are any.

Football Manager games seem pretty straight forward as a concept, but there are so so many ways to play them, that it never gets old. And if it does, a little break will make me want to return to it once again. On top of it all, there are great community-made updates and databases, allowing lower league management and making previously closed national leagues available. The possibilities really are boundless.

As others have said, failure and misfortune are part of the journey. They make the game more real and exciting. And make the successes taste ever so better. I can't speak for other, better, FM players but knowing I cannot truly fully master FM, not without a team full of absolute world class superstars, makes the virtual footballing world feel very real. Looking back IRL many teams could've got relegated or missed their championships, had few crucial matches injuries etc. happened a bit differently along the way. That same small margins are often present in FM, and I love it.

I've often thought about doing the following little test: I backup a save at the start of the league season, keep playing the save until the end of the season, then return to my backup save and complete the same season once again. How different would it be the second time around, even if I tried to make the same transfer decisions, squad selections, use the same tactics and so on...? Depending on many variables, that FM so well simulates, the outcome could be quite different. And that goes to show how unique each of our saves and managerial stories really are.

yes agreed @Tommy Hughes sound the same as me

I haved asked SI to implement a training feature where we can view/take training as a matchday/ mini game bit like the FIFA skills training
so we could watch give instructions/show where you want player x to be /make runs/aim cross/set piece etc etc
and overload attack/ defence 'games' they are looking at it hope it is a feature they take on