Disclaimer – For this save we’ll be going with the newly downloaded (but not newly created) 1992/93 retro database for FM24 with the regen mod, an additional feature by region mod master MrTini23 if you sign up to his parteon situation (link here).

I’ve already summed a few years into the future and haven’t found any major issues, other than certain real life regions maybe not coming through a youth intake in their correct seasons; this will be left as is.

In this third and final part of the Operation: Suffoco, this blog will explore the rules and guidelines of the save; layout the objectives of the save; give insight into the manager and his tactical style and preferences, and hopefully address any other subjects affiliated with the concept of the Suffoco and the game will interpret the role within the match engine.

Tactical Play & Squad Building Guidelines

Operation Suffoco will incorporate numerous tactical elements that have come to fruition over the last three decades, taking inspiration with different cultural elements that were prevalent in Italy and England

• Stoke City can play any tactics, including (but not limited to) 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1, 4-1-4-1, 4-5-1 and 4-2-4, as well as other tactics and variations of the aforementioned.

• Tactics that are NOT allowed to be used are the generic game-breaking heavy pressing / gegenpressing versions of 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 that have been ‘de facto meta’ in previous versions of Football Manager.

• A Suffoco, Advanced Destroyer, Withdrawn Destroyer, Wide Destroyer, Deep Lying Destroyer. etc., or something similar must be used in every tactic (this is defined by marking specific opposition players, tackling harder, marking tighter, and / or max out pressing via the player instructions or a mixture of all four)

• Any form of mentality can be used, although tactical preferences include ‘Being More Disciplined’ and ‘Play for Set Pieces’, with long term preferences focusing on defensive solidity, clean sheets, minimum goals conceded and minimum possession.

• Operation Suffoco will explore different tactical styles of play and taking inspiration from the likes of Sam Allardyce-era Bolton Wanderers, Diego Simeone-era Atletico Madrid, Jose Mouirnho’s first spell at Chelsea, Fabio Cappello-era Juventus and Arigo Sacchi-era AC Milan.

• British, Irish, Commonwealth, North American and African players will be signed above all else.

• Make the most of versatile players and retrain players where possible.

• Players of African descent can also be used – ie Kevin Prince Boateng – even if their primary or secondary nationality is not of African descent. 

• Newgens are allowed, although ideally not preferred; real life players coming through the youth ranks of their respective clubs will be the default preference (ie Wayne Rooney at Everton, Gareth Bale at Southampton, and so on.)

• Players from South or Central America are not allowed to be signed under any circumstances. 

• Wonderkids from top European nations – such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, etc are not allowed to be signed under any circumstances. 

• There are no rules in place of the amount of money that can or can’t be spent on a player

• The DNA of the club and players will focus on players with high physical and mental stats, including (but not limited to) Work Rate, Teamwork, Decisions, Concentration, Composure, Anticipation, Positioning and Stamina, Aggression, Bravery, Leadership, Jumping Reach, Strength, Pace, Acceleration, Agility and Balance. Technical attributes will be the least preferable, outside of Corners, Free Kicks and Tackling.

Stoke City; An Introduction

Its summer 1992, and Stoke City are gearing up for their fourth season in third tier of English football – now known as the Second Division after the newly created Premier League become the official top tier of English football – having finished third last season and losing 2-1 to Stockport County in the play-offs.

Squad wise its pretty dire. Because it’s a retro database and no one wants to spend time putting in players in the lower leagues unless they’re noteworthy (and to be honest I don’t blame them), Stoke City have only three players, one of which is out on loan.

Meanwhile our board is pretty aggressive, expecting us to be able to challenge fro the play offs like we did the previous season. Put with decent finances and a half decent budget of around £500k, I’m confident we can bulk up the squad with a focus on pace and power to drag ourselves up the pyramid.

Stadium wise we’re in good shape with the bet365 stadium, despite it not actually being built for another couple of years. to offset the fact that we have a baller stadium with a not baller team in the lower leagues, we’ve reduced the capacity.

Meet The Gaffer

Enter stage-left Hector Lentini, an alternative universe, pseudo-twin brother of Antonio Conte from Uruguay.

A no-nonsense central defender who spent his entire playing career in the semi-professional leagues in Uruguay, Lentini grew up watching the coma-inducing defensive football of Italy and brutal, attritional long pass English football.

Lenin’s steely determination was matched only by his lack of height and intense tactical discipline. A disciple of the 4-4-2 and variations within, Lentini is a huge proponent of paying respect to traditional whilst still being open to innovate within the confines of minimalism and simplicity.

Small in stature but aggressive nonetheless, Lentini was usually the last line of defense before the keeper, although the teams he played for during his amateur career were generally more concerned about controlling the space than they were controlling possession.

Lenin’s attributes will focus his quality fitness and defensive work, as well as the mental side of the game. His tactical acumen will also be scored highly, as will his determination

And it’s this philosophy with which we see Lentini employ within his managerial style. Deeply conservative yet still tenacious and industrious, the only creativity that Lentini will permit is from dead ball specialists, with his love for set-pieces a major aspect of how his Stoke City will set up.