Nacka’s Yard: Season 13, Part 1 (2036)

A new dawn is upon us at Nacka FC, as we head into a potentially save-defining 13th season in the Swedish leagues.

The 2035 season ended with Nacka finishing 3rd in the Allsvenskan – thus securing a return to European football after a season away. Now our players (and their manager) have their sights set on lifting a first ever top-flight championship in 2036.

And what better way to start off a new year than by moving into a new stadium? Yeah… about that… Continue reading “Nacka’s Yard: Season 13, Part 1 (2036)”

Nacka’s Yard: Season 12, Part 2 (2035)

We’re now well into the 12th season of my Football Manager 2024 adventure with Nacka FC in Sweden.

Last time out, our incredible run in the Conference League finally came to an end. (Bloody Craiova.) We have soared up the UEFA coefficients to become the most-improved team in Europe… but if we want to get back into European competition, we need a strong finish to the 2035 Allsvenskan season.

Today’s chapter will also see us play our final match at the Fisksätra stadium, ahead of moving into a brand-new ground next year. But first… we must say goodbye to a true Nacka hero. Continue reading “Nacka’s Yard: Season 12, Part 2 (2035)”

Nacka’s Yard: Season 12, Part 1 (2035)

I’ve been blogging about Football Manager for seven years now, and I’ve never gone this far into a save, but here goes… [deep breath] …welcome to Season 12 of “Nacka’s Yard”!

Yes, I’ve been at Nacka FC for over a decade ago, but I’m still going strong… only with a few more grey hairs. Although the 2034 Allsvenskan season ended in disappointment, we have somehow reached the knockout stages of the Conference League. We will also soon have the opportunity to win the Svenska Cupen for a second year in a row.

So… what does 2035 have in store for us? Continue reading “Nacka’s Yard: Season 12, Part 1 (2035)”

FM Logic: Media & Press Interactions

Football Manager is the most realistic sports simulation video game out there. We all know that. But it’s not perfect.

A couple of months ago, I discussed some of the flawed logic that FM uses when it comes to transferring and developing players. For example, I talked about proven lower-league goal machines being ignored by AI clubs for years before retiring unemployed. I also discussed a born-and-bred Swedish player being transferred to a club in Guinea just because he also happened to have Guinean nationality.

This second installment is all about one of the most criticised aspects of FM – the media. Whether it’s over-investigative reporters, unimportant questions, or social media posts that even Grimes’ ex-boyfriend would find too inflammatory, there is a lot of weird ‘FM Logic’ to be found here. Continue reading “FM Logic: Media & Press Interactions”

Nacka’s Yard: Season 11, Part 2 (2034)

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Welcome back to “Nacka’s Yard” – the Football Manager 2024 blog series that refuses to die. If you’re one of the five people who’s still reading after all this time, thank you very much for sticking around.

In case you haven’t read the last chapter yet, Nacka FC have just celebrated their first major trophy – lifting the 2034 Svenska Cupen. That means we’re about to embark on another European campaign, and hopefully qualify for the Europa League. Continue reading “Nacka’s Yard: Season 11, Part 2 (2034)”

Nacka’s Yard: Season 11, Part 1 (2034)

This save was only supposed to last for 10 years at most. I really thought by now that I would be getting stuck into Football Manager 25, and leading Arsenal to back-to-back Women’s Champions Leagues. But here we are… still on FM24, and still at Nacka FC.

The 2033 season was not a happy one at Nacka, as we narrowly missed out on qualifying for the main stages of the Conference League… and I had yet another goalkeeping crisis. Seriously, are there ANY decent keepers on this bloody game?

I also received a tempting offer to leave Swedish football behind and return to an old stomping ground. Would I let my head overrule my heart? Continue reading “Nacka’s Yard: Season 11, Part 1 (2034)”

Nacka’s Yard: Season 10, Part 2 (2033)

We’re back once again at Nacka FC on Football Manager 2024… and if you’ve been following since the beginning, this is a particularly exciting chapter.

After an inconsistent start to the 2033 Allsvenskan season, Nacka are now preparing for their first ever matches in the Conference League. Can we survive the qualifiers and get through to the League Phase – with all the money, prestige and Ally McCoist waxing lyrical about us on Thursday evenings that will bring?

This chapter will also see us conclude my 10th season at Nacka. Please stay tuned for a MAJOR announcement at the end. Continue reading “Nacka’s Yard: Season 10, Part 2 (2033)”

Nacka’s Yard: Season 10, Part 1 (2033)

About this time last year, I would have been quite happy if I had never played Football Manager 2024 again. Six months later, and whoops… I’m about to celebrate a decade at Nacka FC!

In case you missed it, Nacka enjoyed a fantastic climax to their first ever season in Sweden’s top division. A top-four finish means that we can look forward to playing in the Conference League qualifiers in 2033!

But before that, it’s time to make plans for our second Allsvenskan season. Can we build on last year’s successes, or is reality about to bite us in the backsides? Continue reading “Nacka’s Yard: Season 10, Part 1 (2033)”

Nacka’s Yard: Season 9, Part 2 (2032)

Welcome back to “Nacka’s Yard”, where Nacka FC are getting stuck into their first season as an Allsvenskan club… and it’s been going surprisingly well.

We left things off with Nacka sitting fairly comfortably in mid-table, but how long will it last? Will reality bite us hard and send us crashing back down into the Superettan… or can we somehow keep climbing up the table, and maybe even make a push for the European places?

Now THAT would be insane… Continue reading “Nacka’s Yard: Season 9, Part 2 (2032)”

Nacka’s Yard: Season 9, Part 1 (2032)

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Welcome back to what’s guaranteed to be another exciting* chapter of my Football Manager 2024 series. This is my ninth season at Nacka FC, and it’s by far our biggest to date!

In case you missed it, the 2031 season was an unforgettable one at the Fisksätra, as a talented crop of attackers fired Nacka into the Allsvenskan for the first time in their history. We still can’t defend properly, but who cares?

So now the hard work truly begins. Can I build a team that can hold its own in the Allsvenskan… or will we be heading straight back down to the Superettan?

* Excitement not guaranteed. Continue reading “Nacka’s Yard: Season 9, Part 1 (2032)”