Xbox 360 - Setting Yourself A Target

Things to consider when setting a target are board expectations, fans expectations, quality and depth of your squad, financial situation, and strength of the opponents in your league.

It is important to remember that the board and supporters only tell you what they 'expect' of you and this may not necessarily be the same as what will actually keep you in a job - you can gather this information from within the boardroom. This is just the same as in the real world and actually being able to achieve the expectations of fans and the board may not always be achievable.

Your safest bet is not to get too daunted by the board and supporters' expectations as some of them cannot be achieved without knowing exactly what you are doing. Trying to save a team from relegation in the premiership with no money is difficult, but you may be rewarded with keeping your job if you at least put up a decent fight throughout the season, get the players to believe in what they are doing by keeping their morale up through the media and you never know you may just get lucky. There is no shame in failure and the fans and board will respect all the efforts you put in.

- Do it your way

Football Manager 2007 is set in the real world and when you take over a team you will be thrown into it head first. The only way to manage a team is to take it by the collar and treat it as if you really were that team's manager: if a player had a nightmare game you may want to give him the hairdryer treatment or put your arm around his shoulder by using the team talks during half time or post-match, you may choose to rebuild his confidence through an easy training session - but you should play it your way and you'll get the most out of it. If a rival manager gives you a hard time in the press it is ok to give it back to him with an aggressive reply, but be careful to not do this too frequently as your behaviour may cause a rift in the dressing room which is the first sign to the board and fans that things are not working and may well result in you joining the queue at your nearest job centre. Of course if that does happen, unlike in the real world, you can simply turn off your console and restart from your last save! Or just start again with a different team.