The Football Manager Football Show

February becomes March in the Bundesliga and for one half of our Football Manager duo, things are looking up and the threat of relegation almost seems like a distant memory. For the other half, the only way is up, but the board and players look like they're all coming into line and getting behind a strong finish to the season.

This week on the podcast we've got another month of games in the Bundesliga where it's become apparent that it's Bayern, Dortmund and everyone else. For Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen lie in wait with the firepower to derail a winter resurgence. For Augsburg, Ibra's loss looks like Diego Lopes' gain as the sinking Bavarian ship looks to be turning around and making a push for unity amid a tough run of games.

And following an exit from the Champions League group stages, Frankfurt (and Ken) get their first taste of the Europa League with the visit of FC Copenhagen to town and the prospect of some mouth-watering knock out fixtures if they can survive the opening playoff legs.

We'll also hear from more of the FM community, find out how Liverpool are doing in the 2030s, how Shane would change Everton this season, how the multiverse is going and get an insight into Shane's buy-low-sell-high philosophy.

Follow Ken on Twitter @tacticalmanager, Shane @sirsok1 and the podcast @fmfshow. You can also email [email protected] with your own save updates or queries, we love hearing from listeners about what the like (and don't) from the podcast. Contains strong language.

It's been another whirlwind month of games in Germany and we've been feeling the pressure.

Last episode, we were each given five games to salvage our careers in Germany. Eight points were required from those games and Shane got off to a flyer with a 3-0 win over Stuttgart followed by a 1-1 draw with Mainz before our live play to close out episode 117 saw him hold on to beat Arminia Bielefeld 2-1. After coming off bruising defeats to PSG and Hertha, both at home, Ken's also had a positive start with a 1-0 win over Koln followed by a 4-0 thrashing of Schalke that included a first Bundesliga hat-trick for Dion Drena Beljo.

You would think that safety would be guaranteed. Shane needs just one point from two games, and get needs two from three games but the first of those is against Bayern, with Union Berlin and RB Leipzig waiting in the wings.

Shane's also got basement side Nurnberg and Hertha to deal with as well, but there's always a twist somewhere along your Football Manager journey and no matter how much you think you're doing right, there's always a club board somewhere that finds a way to get the digs in.

Robbie and Koln still exist in the world too and while results haven't been going well, he's yet to be sacked. Oh, and we've got a January transfer window with a little bit of activity for both clubs in a bid to try and salvage something out of the trainwreck that has been life in Germany. Is it over yet? Contains strong language.

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In a week where we've seen Spurs make yet another managerial change in real life and goals galore scored in the Premier League, over in Germany in the world of Football Manager, the Frankfurt and Augsburg boards are finally starting to lose patience.

Yet again we're called in to explain ourselves but this time the threat is real and the pressure is on. For two teams leaking goals, one of which can't buy a win, we've been given five games and a points target each to hit or it's bye-bye Berlin (or Frankfurt and Augsburg, but you get the drift).

December turns to January, the transfer window is opening up and just when we thought we were out, we're back in business. So do we accept the challenge? Can we roll over for the board and find a way out while there's still time to go shopping with another club's budget? Hit play to find out!

Contains strong language and no Robbie. Again.

Follow the show on Twitter @FMFShow; Ken is @tacticalmanager and Shane is @sirsok1.

Get new episodes every Friday wherever you do your podcast listening and online at fmfshow.com.

When the board tell you they're looking for a meeting and refusal to attend would result in the termination of your contract, you know that something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

But it's not Denmark, we're in Germany, it's life in the Bundesliga but not as we know it with November upon us. An international break means we've got some Champions League action for Ken with two crunch games in the league for Shane's Augsburg and Frankfurt as well. Koln are still Robbie-less so to tie up this week's podcast we're bringing back the live game for the first time since season 8 as we get December underway.

Spoiler alert though - it's looking like players for both Augsburg and Frankfurt have realised that if you put the work in, put your head down and put your laces through the ball that it *might* just end up in the back of the net so there may be some goals this week.

As frustrations spill over at Frankfurt, some players are in danger of the chopping block while a team meeting is needed at Augsburg to settle the nerves a little.

Our rollercoaster of a ride in Germany continues with some strong language and apologies to any celebrities who may be dragged into our wonderful musings in the world of Football Manager.

Follow Ken @tacticalmanager, Shane @sirsok1, the show @FMFshow.com and get new episodes every Friday wherever you do your podcast listening and online at fmfshow.com.

It's October in Germany and it turns out we only thought of Oktoberfest after the fact.

So, while the beer flows and the games come thick and fast in the Bundesliga, the goals have dried up with this week proving a tough one for both Frankfurt and Augsburg. And yes, Robbie's on "holiday" as Koln go on autopilot for a few days.

We've put October to the test though and while Ken's trying to find his way in the Champions League, Shane's trying to get any manner of a response out of his forward line. The common denominator this week though seems that injuries are mounting up faster than either of us would have anticipated with Frankfurt stacking up seven first-team injuries.

The wheels certainly haven't come off, but they're starting to squeak and it's looking like we'll need a minor miracle to survive the Bundesliga.

Follow the podcast on Twitter @fmfshow, Ken is @tacticalmanager and Shane is @sirsok1. Get fresh episodes every Friday wherever you do your podcast listening and on the official website fmfshow.com.

Happy Easter!

While there's plenty of chocolate and Easter beers on the horizon, we're back in Germany with a bang as the Champions League campaign gets underway for Ken while we move through the month of September and knock a handful of league games out of it.

This week is throwing up injury concerns, springing tactical surprises, showing that tweaks in-game can sometimes have catastrophic consequences and starting to stir some unwanted emotions in supporters.

We'll also find out how Castlewarren's season is finishing IRL, get the latest from some regular listeners on their Football Manager saves and concerns and we've done a little bit of looking into our Bundesliga-shaped crystal ball to see if we can cause a rip in the space-time continuum and avoid some of the perils that lay in our way.

As always, you can contact the podcast on Twitter @FMFshow, find Ken @tacticalmanager or here and Shane floating around as @sirsok1. Robbie still isn't on Twitter. We don't think he'll ever be on Twitter.

After a crazy-busy week on the sports front in real life, we're finally back in Germany to get August out of the way in the Bundesliga. We've got some last-minute business to attend to on Transfer Deadline Day which we're hoping might light a fire or spark some kind of emotional investment in the Bundesliga. 

Between the three of us, we've got six games to get through in a short episode as we try to get a handle on the league with August serving up the tough fixtures. 

Is it impossible to score goals in Germany? Are Bayern, Dortmund, Leverkusen and Leipzig really that good or has someone lost their mojo? Was it a mistake to go to Germany without a plan for the long term? And can we really blame Shane for it all?

See how we get on...

Contains strong language (as usual). Find the podcast on Twitter and come say hi @fmfshow or seek out Ken (@tacticalmanager) or Shane (@sirsok1). We may need a parody account for Robbie, but then again, there are Irish laws against that kind of thing. 

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Don't mention the war!

That said, due to an ongoing war (of the theatrical variety), we've not seen any action in Germany this week though Shane and Ken have been busy with Man United, Kilkenny and a second roll of the dice with Benfica.

We're kicking back a little this week to reflect and a couple of things popping up in solo saves, get some more listener updates and questions for our ongoing saves and it's the "gruesome twosome" back in studio with Robbie back in the studio next week.

Graphics never mattered, but transfers do, so what are we looking for out of the next version of FM24? How do you go about a multiverse setup and address the different managers you create? How did we end up in Germany again? And just how many superstars does Shane need to feel better about himself?

As always, you can contact us via email to [email protected], find us on Twitter @fmfshow or visit the website, FMFShow.com. You can also find Ken on Twitter at @tacticalmanager and Shane @sirsok1.

Contains strong language.

It's been a slow start to proceedings in Germany but we've managed to get pre-season all wrapped up and get stuck into the league proper.

This week sees us talk out the last of our pre-season games, check off our first competitive fixtures with the opening round of the DFB-Pokal and we're officially kicking off life in the Bundesliga with a rude awakening from the defending champions, Bayern Munich.

We've got the last of our transfer business before the transfer window actually shuts, we've got some more gripes about the current Man United squad under Erik ten Hag and we might even have ourselves a casualty.

Red cards and spurned opportunities are talking points this week but as that glorious single released by D:Ream in 1994 went, things can only get better. Right?

Follow the podcast on Twitter, we're @fmfshow. You can email us, [email protected] and you can also find Ken as @tacticalmanager and Shane as @sirsok1.

Contains strong language.

Are we overthinking Football Manager?

As Robbie brought Porto to a second-place finish in Portugal last season, Shane is considering adopting his philosophy - one formation, one tactic, one lineup, one mission for the season.

This week on the podcast we're wrapping up pre-season in Germany ahead of the opening of the DFB-Pokal and the first round of league action. Man United and Chelsea are coming to town to help Augsburg and Frankfurt wrap up August while Robbie's hoping to attract some Scottish Premier League talent over to Koln for the season.

Pre-season routines are questioned, transfer business gets wrapped up early and wouldn't you know it, the subject of Liverpool's 7-0 win over Man United raises its heads with some actual football talk for the first time in quite some time.

Contains strong language.