I just released the first playable version (0.7.1) of my attempt at a retro football manager game.

https://olipool.itch.io/boeckhams-football-manager

Boeckham’s Football Manager is an old-school management game in which you get in charge of a soccer team. To be successful, you need to manage your players, buy some and sell some, and care for them when they get into trouble. Build your stadium and expand the facilities. Negotiate with sponsors to finance all of the above.

But not your team is the most important part of the game: you are! Strive for a stellar career, gain more knowledge through education and experience, and make a name for yourself. Start as a nobody in a small local club and lead it to the top. Or why not use your fame – as long as you have it – to get hired by more renowned clubs? What will you do to achieve what no other coach has achieved before?

The game is designed in the spirit of the management game of the 90s like “The Manager” or “On The Ball”. The main goal is to reduce the overburdening complexity of modern football management games. There is nothing wrong with those games but if you want to finish a season or two in one evening instead of one or two match days, this game maybe is for you. There is no claim to accuracy, instead, the fun and simplicity are more important design goals.

The development is ongoing and the game will change. You need to be aware that due to the nature of such a complex genre, you will encounter bugs and balancing issues. But I would love to hear them and if you like to share them, you will play a very important part in the development process. Especially savegames are most likely not compatible with future versions of the game.

Current features include:

• two leagues with different teams (German and English)
• stadium management: build more seats and decide on ticket prices
• sponsor negotiations: banner sponsors and main sponsors
• player management: buying and selling players, training single players, negotiating contracts, etc.
• facility expansion: build gyms, rehab centers, parking lots, restaurants, and more
• coach management: take workshops or education with quizzes to unlock special gameplay and skills, choose your own path, and apply for jobs at other clubs
• league, cup, and champions league with statistics
• narratives: from singular events to long-spanning plots revolving around your players or yourself
• NO loot boxes, points, collection cards, etc.
• NO social media integration or common timeline: play at your own pace!

Planned features:

• many more narratives to shape the story you will experience, different in every playthrough
• more graphics, especially the facilities
• more leagues, maybe national teams
• set formations of your players on the pitch
• a small card game mechanic to decide the tactics for each game to gain a performance boost for your team
• more influence of your biography on the story
• hot-seat multiplayer
• MAYBE(!) online multiplayer, no MMO, just play with your friends