Every new feature in Football Manager 2024 | OneFootball

When you think about Football Manager 2024, one of the first things that comes to mind is the level of accuracy and detail it provides. It is arguably one of the most detailed games in the world, consistently showcasing why it is loved by its fans every year.

Sports Interactive's most prized possession, Football Manager, has always been competing with EA, most recently with their FIFA games, until the name change to 'EA Sports FC 24'. They've always been two drastically different games; one requires obscene amounts of luck and money spent on acquiring a good team, whilst the other tests your brain and challenges you to become the new Pep Guardiola.

With Football Manager 2024, the gulf between the games and the separation of the fan bases is growing, with Football Manager players realising what they have is one of the most polished sports games of all time. As Sports Interactive described it, Football Manager 2024 was "a love letter to football and the culmination of two decades of dedication and commitment to 'complete football authenticity'". These new features took the game to the next level, with everything from a set-piece overhaul, new starting options and new player roles improving the game.

Set-piece overhaul

Set pieces have needed a revamp in Sports Interactive's game for years. It's often been an item on the agenda that you would hand over to your assistant every season, but - in FM24 - you had multiple options. A big part of this is due to the introduction of set-piece coaches. It was once considered unnecessary and crazy in football, but most teams at the top of elite football have them - kick-started by Liverpool appointing Thomas Gronnemark as a throw-in coach in 2018.

In FM24, the set-piece coaches are specialised to organise each situation. This is for corners, short free-kicks, long free-kicks or even throw-ins. It allows you to focus on other areas, whilst knowing you have a coach that can be trusted to build well-rounded tactics for every situation. To showcase this feature, a 'Set Pieces' attribute was added to every coach in the database, indicating their ability to train players in the tactical aspects of set pieces. The set piece coach profiles have clear differences from other coaches. Instead of the 'Scouting Knowledge Panel', their set piece preferences are displayed. These preferences cover delivery style and defensive setup, allowing you to understand their approach to set pieces.

However, if you prefer to take a hands-on approach, you still could. Each set-piece has a detailed area where you could change everything possible - from the number of players in the box to where they stand. You could also change the type of pass that is taken (lofted or low). This provides more variety during matches. Throughout a 46-match season, set-pieces became repetitive in FM, but - in FM24- you could surprise your opponents with a new set-piece tactic every match. It all combined to make the challenge of winning the title harder.

A new feature to Football Manager 2024 was the arrival of three options as you start your journey at a club: Real World, Original and Your World.

Real World

'Real World' states that transfers occur when they take place in real life. For example, if you started your save at the start of pre-season in the summer of 2023, Harry Kane would start the transfer window at Tottenham Hotspur, but he would eventually move to Bayern Munich on the eve of the new campaign. It meant you might start the season without a key player if they signed on Deadline Day, which only added to the realism. The only downside is that it could be confusing to work out the menus, particularly if you have a plethora of arrivals and departures.

Original

'Original' is the classic version of Football Manager. It's what everyone has been used to over the years. You start your journey with the team as it is at the end of the transfer window. It meant you had a smaller transfer budget, but it allowed you to easily work around the menus to work out who you needed to upgrade or replace. It was the most popular method in FM24, continuing from the trend it started years ago. It was the best method for players who want a simple life, knowing it is easy to work out who is at which club.

Your World

Last, but not least, 'Your World' was a chaotic but creative way to play Football Manager. You start the summer of 2023 with every transfer that took place during the window erased. For example, Moises Caicedo would start the save at Brighton, whilst Declan Rice would be at West Ham. It allowed you to completely rewrite history with the transfer budget that the club had in the summer. It's not the most realistic way to play Football Manager, but it could be fun to play. It almost placed you in the chair of the owner of the club, alongside the work of a manager.

Football Manager 2024 introduced new changes to the tactical set-ups you could play in the game - coming in the form of advanced positional play and a new player role (the Inverted Full-back).

Positional Play

Modern football is incredibly fluid in the 21st century, with set positions becoming less common at the elite level of football. Players took up free space across the pitch, which saw them adjust positions and take advantage of space left behind. It's a similar tactic used by many well-known managers, but - most notably - Guardiola at Manchester City.

For example, an 'Advanced Playmaker' can recognize the attacking runs of a 'Segundo Volante' and adjust their position accordingly, effectively creating a 4-1-4-1 shape in attack. Meanwhile, an 'Inside Forward' or 'Inverted Winger' will not stay closer to the flank if there is an additional midfielder nearby, knowing that someone covers space.

The 'Inverted Full-back' was the latest role to be introduced to Football Manager. It's another method that has been commonly used by modern-day managers - including Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur. In simple terms, when using this role, the full-backs pushed up into midfield when your team has the ball. Therefore, there were more options in the middle of the park to dictate the tempo of the match,

They could also drop in to become a third centre-back if the other full-back is pushed into midfield. Alongside 'Positional Play', it provided more control and fluidity to your teams in FM24, if it was used correctly.

Smarter transfers, squad building and finance

Transfers play a crucial part in modern-day football. In Football Manager, that was no different, as you looked to rebuild your team into a footballing giant. You might be in the Premier League, MLS or even the National League, but the philosophy remains the same - transfers are key.

In Football Manager 2024, Sports Interactive improved the system. The game offered smarter and more dynamic features during the recruitment and finance stage. For example, players' transfer values will change depending on factors such as form and reputation. Teams prioritised youth prospects in the first team to improve their value and quality, whilst the financial system was revamped. You could go into a negative transfer budget, as long as you had a clear income in the future via selling players or transfer clauses. Teams could be sanctioned for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP), where they could be hit with points deductions or transfer bans. The game was more realistic during each transfer window due to these features.

Individual player targets

Meanwhile, another new feature allowed you to motivate your squad by setting individual performance targets. When having a meeting with a player, you could tell them their form needs to improve - or they will get a regular place in the team - whilst giving them a target to complete it. Those targets can cover a wide range of topics such as training improvements, average ratings, goals, assists, clean sheets and match performances.

Alongside improved conversations with players, the method of speaking to agents during the transfer window was realistic. You can also speak to and hire intermediaries to sell players. However, players could react to conversations positively or negatively. All of these new features combined to make Football Manager an addicting game to play for hours on end as you look to conquer the world with whatever team you choose.