Ok, so who amongst you plays Football Manager? There are a lot of people out there who do play this football management simulation, or it’s rival Championship Manager, they’re constantly big sellers in the games market. I’ve always been a fan and have spent many an hour playing their various incarnations. But recent years have been almost completely Footy management free.
This past weekend I was talking to someone who mentioned the game and it got me thinking about it again, got me remembering how much I enjoy playing. So I dug out my Football Manager 2009 CD, barely played, and re-installed it onto the Mac. I downloaded the latest patch and set about trying to find an up to date player database to install.
While looking, unsuccessfully, I stumbled across somebody’s idea. That idea coming about because, after a while, everyone knows which players to buy. Everyone knows who the big teams are, who the best players are, who the best coaches are etc. But what if you didn’t? What do you get when you start up a game of FM2009 and put yourself on holiday for 20 years? What would the footballing world look like in June 2028?
I thought it was an interesting idea, so I set about starting a new game and left the computer to chug away for about 36 hours until 20 years of game time had passed. There were a fair few noteworthy results.
In 2024 England were runners-up to Spain in the European Championships. But after 60 years of hurt the 3 Lions of England won the World Cup in 2026. And the man that made it happen? Paul Jewell.
England are ranked 3rd in the World, behind Brazil and Spain. Turkey and Nigeria are up into 5th and 6th respectively while Scotland are in 11th, above Germany who have slipped to 18th and Portugal (who won the 2010 World Cup) have slipped down to 37th.
Manchester United have just won the Championship and with it a return to the Premier League. A feat they also achieved 2 years ago, having been relegated again in between.
United have struggled since the retirement of Alex Ferguson in 2011, just after winning one more Premier League title. Jose Mourinho lasted just a year. Pep Guardiola, Carlos Queiroz, Steve Bruce, Slaven Bilic and David Moyes have all tried, and failed, to return glory to Old Trafford. Former Charlton boss Phil Parkinson and former Cambridge Utd manager Martin Ling where the two men that relegated the Red Devils. Former Darlington boss Mark Cooper is now the man in charge.
Meanwhile, on the blue side of Manchester, City have just won their 3rd Successive Premier League Title. They have also just won the League Cup, Community Shield, World Club Championship and the Champions League four times in the past 5 years. All under the watchful eye of boss Laurent Blanc.
Millwall have just been relegated from League 2 while Ebbsfleet weren’t far away from the playoffs in the same league. Billericay’s amazing rise up the Football League has just come to a halt as they’ve been relegated from League 1 while Fulham are sliding down with a relegation to League 1.
The managerial picture is also interesting as lots of players have moved into management. There’s Pierluigi Casiraghi at Arsenal, Christoph Metzelder at Aston Villa. Nyron Nosworthy is manager of the Premier League side, Swansea. Steven Gerrard and John Terry have moved into management with Sunderland and Nottingham Forest respectively.
Steve Coppell took over from Rafa Benitez at Anfield in 2014, winning the Premier League in 2016 and 2020. Coppell left after the second league win. Now Stuart Pearce is the man in charge, while also STILL being England U-21 manager.
Southampton won the Championship in 2025, the year after being FA Cup runners-up. They also came 2nd in the Championship in 2015, 2021 & 2023. They have become somewhat of a “yo-yo” team with several promotions and relegations over the past decade.
Markus Leibherr never took over at St Mary’s, instead another consortium ousted Rupert Lowe in August 2008. Paul Sturrock returned for a spell as manager in 2016 but was sacked 8 months later.
Portsmouth have been managed by Glenn Hoddle, David Platt, Gianluca Vialli and Chris Coleman, amongst others. Somehow they are still in the Premier League and never entered administration.
So an interesting football landscape, I think you’ll agree.
If you have Football Manager 2009 and want to play in this brave new world for yourself, head to www.fm-base.co.uk and download my save game.
3 responses
Ha, I remember our trip to Inverness. “Bugger the scenery and splendor – find me a games shop for the lastest Football Manager!”
What was that? 2001?
Hey, it’s not like I went there especially for it… but while we were near shops I picked a copy up! Nowt wrong with that, Mr G!
And, yer, probably something like 2001.