The Football Manager Football Show

Bye-bye Portugal, hello to pastures new!

It's a new season, new beginnings and a new outlook on life as we have to grapple with players we don't know, in a league none of us have ever managed in, with a competition structure we're vaguely familiar with.

We're leaving the Algarve behind us and all the lovely trappings that come with life in Liga Bwin and we're moving further into mainland Europe to start season 10.

Just when he thinks he's out, Shane is the one in charge of drawing the teams for season 10 and unlike last season where we picked the top three teams and drew lots in the office, this time out he's gone all in - all 18 teams in this league straight into the finest cardboard box we could find in the recycling bin, all mixed up for the big draw with Ken drawing first, Robbie next and Shane third, based on our final league positions in Portugal.

There are accusations over transfers and scouting, someone's in the money, and someone's already applying for new jobs, but that's par for the course around these parts.

Let's get into season 10 of The Football Manager Football Show - follow the show on Twitter @fmfshow, keep an eye on our website for updates at FMFShow.com or find Ken @tacticalmanager and Shane @sirsok1. A full season on and Robbie still isn't sharing his thoughts online.

Contains strong language. 

Alas, we're calling time on our Portuguese adventure. What started slowly, has barrelled along in the last few weeks and on this week's episode we're playing through the final four games of the Liga Bwin season.

Benfica need just one point from a possible 12 available - can they build on their late run of form or will they hit a speed bump with Sporting and Porto nipping at their heels? And when it comes to second and third, with only a point separating Shane and Robbie, will there be any late drama in the league, especially when they meet on the final day of the season to potentially decide the last automatic Champions League place.

We've also taken on board everyone's suggestions about where we're going to next, so we'll run through the majority of them as we figure out where we head for season 10. If you're reading these notes and manage to get to us within three or four days of the podcast episode dropping, you might well still be able to influence our decision.

Say hello on Twitter, we're @fmfshow or email [email protected]. You can also follow Ken as @tacticalmanager and Shane as @sirsok1. As for Robbie, a whole season in Portugal later, he's still not on Twitter.

Or is he...

Contains strong language.

The end is nigh in Portugal.

This week we're into our second-last month of Pastel de Natas and all those other nice things the Portuguese culture has to offer, but more importantly, we're seven league games away from the end of the club season. For Robbie, there's also the possibility of a place in this year's Taça de Portugal should he pass the semi-final test.

Despite the run-ins determined last week, it's looking like Benfica, Porto and Sporting are all experiencing a little end-of-season rot setting in as goals dry up, opposition sides start to get the upper hand and frustrations start to set in. With six points separating first and second and Porto nipping at third,  by the start of this week's gaming it looks like the league is there for the taking by anyone. When it comes down to the finish though is it all done and dusted?

And can anyone identify what's after happening with Beljo and Sporting? We're also looking for your suggestions as to where we go for next season once Portugal is in the bag. Should the European adventure continue? Do we head back to England with Robbie along for the ride? Do we finally get to break America? Email [email protected] or tweet @fmfshow to make your suggestions.

Contains strong language.

You can also follow Ken at @tacticalmanager and Shane at @sirsok1 on the Twitter machine.

The end is nigh in Portugal for our wandering trio of managers.

This week, Benfica (Ken), Porto (Robbie) and Sporting (Shane) are in league and cup action as we close the door on February, get March out of the way and move into February - you can thank the international break for that one.

However, one decent run of form looks like it might be in trouble, one poor run of form looks like there's a bit of an upswing and one middling run of form gets another spin on the rollercoaster that is Liga bwin.

Contracts are on the table, tactics are being thrown out the window, the press thinks there's a relegation battle going on at the top of the table, and star signings are fading away while others are relishing their time in a new role.

More importantly though, with the gaps fairly narrow at the top of the table, it's time for each side to make this month's run of games count, maximise the points and stake a real claim for the title. Can it be done? You'll find out over the course of 80-odd minutes, maybe 60 if you discount Robbie's take on modern life about 20 minutes into Benfica's last game of the week.

As always, our thanks for your listenership to the podcast. We love the emails, tweets, encouragement and disappointments so if you've got anything you would like to share or get off your chest, you can email us directly to [email protected], or find us on Twitter as @fmfshow, @tacticalmanager (Ken) or @sirsok1 (Shane). 

It's a candlelit podcast for two this week as Ken and Robbie go through February in Portugal and the gap between the top three begins the shorten a little. 

There's Champions League action for Ken as Liverpool make their way to Benfica's back yard, Robbie and Ken are going head-to-head and it's beginning to look like everyone has injury concerns.

The head-to-head this week turns out to be one of the best we've had in an age but with all three of us getting league games on the same days this season, the pressure is on to keep the gaps in the table tight, the goals in the back of the net and the points on the board.

As we move into year 3 of the podcast we're celebrating January 2023 as our best ever month for downloads and that's all down to you for listening. A huge thanks from us for the continued support, we hope you're enjoying our Football Manager adventures and if you want to get in touch about your own save and developments you'll find Ken on Twitter as @tacticalmanager, Shane as @sirsok1 and Robbie hides out under @scorelinesport every now and again.

More importantly, though, you'll find the podcast itself on Twitter as @FMFShow or check FMFShow.com for archives, screenshots and extra blog posts.

Happy anniversary to us! It's two years since we threw caution to the wind and started talking all things Football Manager. 104 episodes later and we're still doing it, plus we're now cruising into February in Portugal with silverware on the line.

Shane's got the second shot at a trophy this season with the surprise addition of an Allianz Cup final with Ken and Robbie both knocked out in the semi-finals last week.

But this week we're left wondering if there is a hangover from the World Cup in Qatar or is there something rotten in the state of Portugal as points drop, chances are missed and the goals look like they're starting to dry up for one of us. Will we even have a title race this season? Will the January transfer signings reinforce league and cup ambitions or will they cause more problems?

And after their scoreless draw last time out, how will it go this week when Shane and Robbie lock horns for the second time this season?

It's all on the latest edition of the Football Manager Football Show, episode 104. Grab new episodes every Friday wherever you get your podcasts and if you're up for progress midweek, join the conversation on Twitter @FMFshow.

You can also follow Ken @tacticalmanager and Shane @sirsok1. 

The January transfer window is open, the Taca de Portugal continues but more importantly, we've got Robbie and Shane going head-to-head and more in this week's Football Manager Football Show.

It's been a busy enough week at Scoreline HQ as we get caught up with the realities of the real-life sporting season but in FM land, it's back to the grind this week as we pass the midway point of the season and run through January with three games in the league before reaching the Allianz Cup semi-finals as Porto host Braga and Benfica take on Sporting in our second host-v-host game of the week.

There may be some strong language this week but it's all in good jest.

As we approach the two-year mark of weekly Football Manager podcasts, a sincere thanks from us to you for lending your ears to the show.

Follow the podcast on Twitter @FMFShow or trawl the archives at fmfshow.com. You can also follow Ken @tacticalmanager and Shane @sirsok1. One of these days, Robbie promises he'll have a Twitter account. We don't buy it for a minute.

We're all back in the studio this week and with the World Cup in the rearview mirror, it's time to open up the January transfer window and get stuck back into the league in Portugal.

We'll find out how the World Cup actually went (with some surprise results) and get into our Allianz Cup quarter-final games with a potential host-v-host clash if everyone comes through unscathed.

There are points to be won in the league after a lengthy winter break but as it comes time to start doing deals in the transfer market, some familiar issues crop up again, especially when it comes to the offloading of players.

Robbie's hit a good run of form and he'll share his thoughts on how he feels things are developing now that we're at the midway point of the season - be sure to stick around right to the very end for the juicy bits.

There's some strong language, some rants, some walkouts, but it's al in good fun as season 9 pushes into the new year.

Follow the podcast on Twitter @FMFShow and get new episodes every Friday wherever you do your podcast listening.

With Ken stuck in a forest for a week, not having brought some of the audio for this week's podcast with him, we're a day late but back on track with the group stages of the Taca de Portugal in the bag.

Christmas has come and gone, and it's a case of 'new year, new drive' as wins become a must with some domestic cup action while the World Cup takes place in Qatar.

Shane's looking for some money-spinning friendlies to rake in the dough and are Benfica looking at a possible cup upset despite carry in the favourites tag? We've got UEFA Champions League news and a countdown to the Christmas transfer market with a marquee signing expected at Sporting to boost morale and drag the league favourites past the top of the table at Christmas.

Contains strong language.

Catch the archive at fmfshow.com or wherever you do your podcast listening or join the conversation on Twitter, we're @FMFShow.

It's the last episode of 2022 and we've hit episode 100 so this week we're taking a bit of an unexpected walk back through our Football Manager journey to date.

Contains strong language.