Sports Interactive is getting ready to release Football Manager 2020 in a couple of months, and as with every release there are some new features to talk about. According to the studio player development will be one of the key areas of FM 2020, with users having much more of a say in how youth players are getting trained and how their talent is developing.
To do this FM 2020 will have an area called The Development Centre. It is here where users can get a complete overview of all the young players that are signed to the club, which ones are the ones to watch out for, and which of these young players need extra help to reach their potential. Management of youth staff and teams will take place here with users also being able to see which young players have gone out on loan, the youth team fixtures and results, and how players are performing.
The way players develop can have an impact on the next feature and that is the Club Vision. Essentially this is where long term objectives beyond one or two seasons are set, and users will be expected to cultivate a culture where everyone including the board, the players, and the staff are all working to achieve the long term objectives. Boards will set these long term plans in new Welcome Meetings and users will be judged on how they’re getting towards those goals alongside season objectives. You may win a league title or survive relegation but the board may not be happy if you’re going about it in a way they didn’t want you to do so.
Tying back to player development and you have the Playing Time Pathway. Essentially in this area you’ll set the amount of playing time your players can expect over their time at the club, making it clear whether they’ll be a star player or someone used a backup or in a rotation. The playing time can be negotiated during contract negotiations, and users will be reminded of whether they’re meeting the promised obligations or failing and upsetting the players in question with staff giving details.
Speaking of backroom staff two new roles have been added to FM 2020 with those being Technical Director and Head of Player Development. The rest of the staff will be much more active than previous with a lot more input when it comes to matchday tactics, player development, and how the club is running. Finally, there will be some visual upgrades with manager avatars getting a rework, while pitches will better reflect weather conditions.
Source: Press Release
