Hello dear readers! Today I would like to share my impressions about demo version of Football Manager 2011. And the analysis will start with negative things.

What I don't like about FM 2011 demo

The worst thing is light skin. It strikes eyes and makes impossible playing FM 2011 for long time. Fortunately Miles Jacobson has already announced that dark skin will be delivered within the first patch this or next week.

There are also several annoying small bugs in the interface, problem with high fees from agents and match engine bugs. I wouldn't discuss them in detail now because it's very tempting to praise Football Manager 2011 at last

Things I liked or even loved

First of all I want to thank many times for optimization of 3D view match mode. My weak graphics card performs as I have never expected. Less amount of lugs, better quality of picture and ability to watch match in full screen mode… I haven't even been dreaming of that!

Trainings

Extended training system is really interesting. Sure it's complicated to investigate it completely playing demo, so I'll wait till the release and start of my Depor story.

Training schedules were changed. They divided goalkeeper schedule into two parts: Shot Stopping and Handling. Set Pieces was removed instead:

Great looking Match Preparation screen promises a lot of fun. Theoretically you can train your team to use 3 different tactics without adaptation problems eventually. It can give a real tactical flexibility:

The most noticeable change in daily trainings is Individual Training Focus that can be specified for each player:

I like also Fitness report and particularly Days Injured field allowing to control injury resistance of a player more conveniently:

And sure, Workload screen part is also looks useful and nice:

I think I will spend a lot of time with trainings in FM 2011 because they look more entertaining than in Football Manager 2010.

Players Selection

Small but nice features are added for better selection of players. Now upper position bar shows central players with L or R suffix. It's pretty usability thing as for me that doesn't makes me think additionally whether I setting up right central defender or left one:

Moreover I would like to thank SI Games developers for new positions enumeration just right after player name. It's really comfortable when you understand that first going player's position is a native one. It will save time allowing to forget about visiting often Position screen of a player.

Set Pieces creator

Well it's quite good and should ease process of set pieces tuning. Though I have some kind of strange feeling that they could make it better. Don't know how to explain this feeling at the current moment.

Interaction

Interaction with anybody (players, managers, journalists, etc.) is cool one. My first impression is that it's a small game in the large one. Though it demands time to be analysed in details.

Agents

It's very realistic new feature that makes the game better football life simulator. But SI Games has to fix problem with high fees demanded by some agents during contract negotiations.

In the end special thanks from me for social features allowing to automate connection with Youtube and Twitter. I will use them for my Depor story – so be prepared

Finally I would like to boast a bit: my blog is the first in the Gold Affiliates list of Sports Interactive 

True Football Manager