10 Essential Steps to Take Before Clicking Continue on a New Save

Starting a new Football Manager save is a moment of pure excitement mixed with just a little bit of obsession. You know you’re about to spend hours fine-tuning tactics, scouting wonderkids, and agonizing over transfers, all while balancing the delicate squad dynamics. But let’s be honest before you even think about clicking “Continue,” there’s a meticulous setup ritual every manager goes through. After all, we all secretly love spending more time on preparation than actual matches, don’t we? Whether it’s the relentless scouting or the irresistible urge to reorganize your training schedules down to the minute, there’s a bit of an OCD in every FM fan.

So, to kick off your journey the right way, here are ten critical steps you need to nail before hitting “Continue” for the first time. Think of it as your pre-match routine, get it right, and you’ll be set for success!

1 - Review the Club Vision

This can include:

• Philosophies: Playing a certain style of football, signing young talent, or developing players from the academy.
• Objectives: Achieving league positions, cup runs, or continental success. Understanding and aligning with these objectives is crucial, as failure to meet them could put your job in jeopardy. If your vision doesn’t match the board’s, you’ll need to carefully balance your decisions.

2 - Review Players in last year of contract

Your Director of Football usually presents you the players in the last year of their contracts, it’s time to review who should be offered new deals right away and who requires more consideration. For players who are key to your squad and are performing well, don’t wait, renew their contracts immediately to avoid them being poached or becoming unsettled.

However, for players you’re unsure about, whether due to form, age, or high wage demands, take a more cautious approach. Monitor their performances and, if necessary, wait a few months before making a decision. If their demands are unreasonable, they might lower them if their situation changes (or the market cools down). This careful balancing act ensures you don’t overpay or lose out on a player with potential.

3. Set a Generic 4-3-3 Formation and Head to the Squad Planner

Start by setting up a generic 4-3-3 formation, it’s a flexible and well-rounded tactic that helps you assess your squad’s depth and suitability for key roles across all areas of the pitch. Once this foundation is in place, head over to the Squad Planner to get a comprehensive view of your team. Here, you’ll evaluate not only your first team but also players from your B team (if available) and the U19 squad. This way, you can spot future stars or potential backup options that could fill gaps in your system.

While using the Squad Planner, identify players who don’t meet the quality standards for your team or formation. Consider doing the following:

• Transfer List players who lack the required quality or don’t fit your tactical vision. This can free up wage budget and generate transfer funds.
• Loan List younger players who have potential but need more game time to develop. This is especially useful for promising talents in your U19s or B team.
• Offload players who are too expensive for your club’s financial health, either in terms of wages or transfer value. If they’re not indispensable, reducing your wage bill can help you invest in other areas.

This process not only streamlines your squad but also ensures you’re working within your budget, making room for new signings or promoting youth players ready to step up.

4. Review Player Contracts and Hidden Clauses

Once you’ve gone through the Squad Planner and identified key players and potential deadweight, it’s time to delve into the details of your players’ contracts. This step is crucial to avoid nasty surprises like unexpected wage hikes or missing out on a big payday because of a release clause.

Head over to the Contracts section and carefully review the following:

• Release Clauses: Some players, especially new signings or foreign imports, may have release clauses that other clubs can trigger. If a player is integral to your squad, consider renegotiating their contract to remove or raise that clause. Conversely, if you want to cash in on a player, make sure their release clause is high enough to protect the club’s value.
• Wage Rise and Loyalty Clauses: Look out for wage increase clauses that trigger based on appearances or promotions, as they can quickly blow up your wage bill. Similarly, loyalty bonuses might sound harmless, but they can drain club finances over time if left unchecked. Negotiate these out when possible.
• Extension Clauses: Some players may have optional contract extension clauses, either by mutual agreement or triggered by a certain number of appearances. Activate these clauses for players you want to keep around without entering full contract negotiations.
• Sell-on or Buyback Clauses: If you’ve got young players or squad members with sell-on clauses to former clubs, it’s important to be aware of how much of a future transfer fee you might lose. Buyback clauses on players you’ve previously sold can offer you a future bargain, so keep those in mind as well.

By carefully reviewing player contracts and hidden clauses, you can secure your best players, avoid overpaying for those who aren’t worth it, and ensure the club’s financial health stays on track.

5. Adjust Scouting Range

One of the first things to do in a new save is to review and adjust your scouting range. Depending on the size of your club and its financial resources, you might have the capability to scout locally, regionally, or globally. Head to the Scouting section and ensure that your range aligns with your transfer strategy.

For larger clubs, expanding the scouting range to cover the entire world can help you find hidden gems in lesser-known leagues or scout established players from top leagues. For smaller clubs, it’s better to focus on specific regions where talent can be acquired within your budget.

Also, take into account your B team and U19s. Expanding the scouting network in youth hotbeds—such as South America, Eastern Europe, or Africa—can help you find young, affordable players to strengthen these squads and develop for the future. A well-tuned scouting network ensures you don’t miss out on emerging talents and gives you a competitive edge in the transfer market.

6. Check Affiliates

Head to the Club Info > Affiliates section to review your existing partnerships and explore new opportunities. Affiliations can be an underrated but powerful tool in Football Manager, offering benefits ranging from player development to financial support. 

Here’s how you can make the most of it:

• Existing Affiliates: Review any current partnerships. If you already have smaller clubs as affiliates, consider sending young prospects or fringe players on loan to these clubs for valuable playing time
• Propose New Affiliations: If your club doesn’t have the right partnerships in place, go to the Boardroom and request new affiliations.

Depending on your club’s stature, you could ask for:

• Loan affiliates to send young players out for first-team football.
• Feeder clubs from lower leagues that could give you access to young talent, either on loan or at a discounted rate.
• Overseas affiliates to help with scouting networks or even bypass work permit issues in certain regions.

Leveraging your affiliate network can help develop your younger players, find hidden gems abroad, and expand your club’s financial and scouting capabilities without major investments.

7. Make Board Requests

Before hitting “Continue,” it’s the perfect time to make some key Board Requests that can improve your club’s infrastructure, finances, or overall success potential. Head to the Boardroom and explore the various options you can request, depending on your club’s status and your relationship with the board.

Here are some common and useful requests:

• Increase Scouting Budget: Ask for an expanded scouting budget to widen your scouting range and help you uncover better talents across the globe.
• Upgrade Training or Youth Facilities: Improving your training and youth facilities is a long-term investment that enhances player development and keeps your team competitive over the seasons.
• Expand Stadium or Improve Finances: For clubs with higher ambitions, requesting a stadium expansion or improvements in finances (through increased transfer or wage budgets) can give you more flexibility in the market.
• Affiliate Club: If you didn’t already request this in step 5, now’s a great time to ask for a new affiliate club to aid in player development, scouting, or commercial revenue.
• Improve Youth Recruitment: If you want to nurture homegrown talent, requesting an upgrade to your youth recruitment network is essential for attracting better prospects to your academy.

Remember, not all requests will be granted, especially if you’re new to the club or your financial situation is tight. However, successful requests can give you an edge over the competition and help set the foundation for long-term success.

8. Improve Your Staff

A strong backroom staff is the backbone of any successful club in Football Manager, and before clicking “Continue,” it’s crucial to evaluate and improve your staff setup. Head to the Staff Overview section and start by reviewing the quality of your current staff members, from assistant managers to coaches, scouts, and physios. You’ll want to ensure that you’re working with the best team possible to support your tactical vision and player development.

• Terminate Contracts of Underperforming Staff: If you spot any staff members who are well below the standards you need—whether it’s a coach with poor attributes for training or a scout with limited knowledge—don’t hesitate to terminate their contracts. Freeing up space allows you to bring in better-qualified individuals who can improve training sessions, handle transfers, or manage tactics more efficiently.
• Hire Better Staff: Once you’ve removed the weakest links, use the Staff Search tool to recruit replacements. Focus on coaches with strong attributes in areas like Tactical Knowledge, Fitness, or Goalkeeping (depending on your needs). For scouts, prioritize attributes like Judging Ability and Judging Potential to ensure you’re uncovering quality talent.
• Set Staff Responsibilities: After assembling the right team, head over to the Responsibilities section to clearly assign tasks to each member of your staff. Delegate roles like training, team talks, press conferences, or youth development to specialists. For example, if you trust your assistant manager, let them handle friendlies or minor cup matches. If you prefer hands-on control, assign yourself as the go-to person for important tactical decisions and transfer negotiations.

Optimizing your staff setup ensures your team gets the best support on and off the pitch, giving you the tactical and scouting edge needed to succeed.

9. Set Pre-Season Training Schedule and Friendly Match Arrangements

Pre-season is a critical period for laying the foundation for your team’s success throughout the season. Before clicking “Continue,” make sure to set up an efficient pre-season training schedule and arrange friendly matches to help your players build fitness and gel together.

• Create a Pre-Season Training Schedule: In the Training section, set up a pre-season plan that focuses on fitness and team cohesion. Early in pre-season, emphasize physical conditioning to get your players match-ready. As pre-season progresses, gradually shift to more tactical and technical drills, especially those related to the formation and playing style you intend to use during the season (e.g., focusing on ball control, defensive shape, or attacking patterns).
• Arrange Friendly Matches: Organize friendly matches against a mix of lower-league and tougher opponents. Lower-league games will help build your team’s confidence, while higher-level opposition will give you a better sense of your squad’s strengths and weaknesses. These matches are also great opportunities to assess fringe players or experiment with different tactics.
• Assess Individual Training Needs: After setting the general team schedule, head to the Individual Trainingsection. Review the strengths and weaknesses of each player and tailor individual training programs accordingly. For example:

1. Develop a young winger’s crossing ability or a striker’s finishing.
2. Focus on improving a defender’s positioning or tackling if they’re lagging behind.
3. For players coming back from injury or with low stamina, set specific fitness drills to help them regain match fitness.

This step not only ensures your team is fully prepared for the season but also allows you to improve specific areas of individual players’ games. A well-structured pre-season can set the tone for a successful campaign.

10. Scout and Hire Players

The final step before clicking “Continue” is to start shaping your squad through scouting and potential signings. Whether you’re in need of immediate first-team reinforcements or looking for hidden gems to develop, this is the moment to lay the groundwork for your transfer strategy.

• Set Up Scouting Assignments: In the Scouting section, assign your scouts to regions or leagues that align with your goals. For example, send scouts to South America or Eastern Europe for young talent, or focus on top European leagues if you’re searching for more experienced players. Make sure your scouting assignments reflect both short-term needs (positions you need to strengthen now) and long-term goals (future prospects or affordable bargains).
• Identify Priority Targets: Based on your squad review and tactical setup, identify the key areas where you need new signings. Are you lacking depth in defense? Do you need a new striker to lead the line? Use the Player Searchfeature to find players who fit your system. Don’t forget to filter by contract status or transfer listing—there could be talented players available on a free transfer or at a cut price.
• Scout Thoroughly: Before committing to any signings, make sure your scouts provide detailed reports on potential targets, including their attributes, potential, injury history, and wage demands. Use this information to assess whether the player is worth the investment or if you should continue searching.
• Plan Financially: Be mindful of your club’s financial situation. If you’re managing a lower-budget team, look for loan deals or players with expiring contracts who might be available at a lower cost. If you have a bigger budget, aim for higher-quality players who can make an immediate impact. Keep an eye on wage demands to avoid disrupting your club’s financial stability.

By scouting smart and making well-thought-out transfers, you can ensure that your squad is ready for the challenges ahead, whether that means pushing for promotion, consolidating in the top flight, or chasing silverware. A well-planned transfer strategy will set your team up for success in both the short and long term.