LMA Manager 2003 - Strategy Guide
Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for LMA Manager 2003 - Strategy Guide.
LMA Manager 2003 FAQ- copyright 2003 Kyle Frazer
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===============
=The Legal Bit=
===============
This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other
web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a
violation of copyright.
All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.
==============
=Distribution=
==============
Websites that are allowed this FAQ are as follows:
www.thunderbolt.be
www.gamefaqs.com
www.cheatcc.com
www.cheats.de
If you would like to put this FAQ on your site then you must email me first.
Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again. Simple.
==========
=Contents=
==========
1.0 version history
2.0 introduction
3.0 starting off
-3.1 friendlies
--3.2 shake up
---3.3 staff
----3.4 finances
4.0 formations
-4.1 tactics
--4.2 training
5.0 stadium
6.0 info
7.0 match
8.0 players
9.0 contact
10.0 credits
=====================
=1.1 Version History=
=====================
4th June 2003- Finally I have my hands on the game! It's now that I start to
see the changes from 2002 and create my super team in Fulham! Oh, I started
an FAQ too ;)
0.6- Basic information is submitted, with the training and match sections left
out for further updates. I added a list of players that I know are good, and
hope to have some submissions soon.
0.7- Quite a big update, but still a few sections waiting for completion.
Note the artwork at the top. Had a submission from Matt Walker, and hope to
review players being placed in the essentials section. Contact info has been
updated and a player template for submissions has been drawn out.
0.9- Match section is at last complete, but as with all the
others it doesn't mean it will remain untouched. More players reviewed, with
thanks to Rory Oldroyd. Also had an email from cheats.de requesting
permission to post this FAQ. Please, use this as a good example. All it takes
is a simple polite email. If this FAQ is found at any site other than those
listed then be prepared to make dates for court action!
==================
=2.0 Introduction=
==================
Ok, before we start I just want to say a few things. First off, this is
written with knowledge from the English leagues. Perhaps Scotland may benefit
but other countries like Spain and France have different styles of play and
so my tactics might not be suited to that area. Second of all there will be
no 'final edition'. I'm learning different tactics, scouting new players etc
all the time so sections will be changed and/or updated when needed. All you
need do now is grab a beer, relax and enjoy!
==================
=3.0 Starting Off=
==================
Obviously the first thing we have to do is pick a team to start off with. Most
people will start off with the team they support (in my case it's Fulham)
whilst those wanting a challenge may go further down into the lower leagues.
The advantage to managing your favourite team is you will know which players
are good and the areas to work on. However, clubs you aren't familiar with
can cause confusion, so to start off with its best to stick to your own
territory. When you have the knowledge of relegation scraps, tight budgets
and man management then you should start to push for fresh challenges.
================
=3.1 Friendlies=
================
Many people I have spoken to regard friendlies as a waste of time and either
skip them or don't watch the team playing. This is probably the worst thing
you can do seeing as it's the only time you can view the players in matches
without anything at stake. It's also essential for managers at new clubs to
find out where players perform best and those to place on the transfer list.
Your squad will start off lacking match fitness so plan the first game
against very poor opposition, maybe non-league sides. This is so players can
slowly build up their fitness without the threat of a beating. The second
match should be a mildly better side, but a match you can expect to win
easily. The third game should be against a mid-table side a division below
you, to give the atmosphere of a cup-tie.
Squad selection is key here. Rather than field your best team in the first,
reserves in the second and then a mix in the third its best to mix them up
all the time. Play your second choice keeper behind your top defence, pair up
a reserve striker with your top scorer or shove a young 'un in midfield with
the top guns. This is so you can see how well players perform, with good
players to help them out.
==============
=3.2 Shake Up=
==============
Armed with valuable squad knowledge from the friendlies, its time to sell
the garbage and bring in new talent as well as sorting out the finances.
regardless of form, younger players (those under 28) should always be given
time to develop. A second chance, if you will. This because they seem to
reach their potential at 25, and a few years after seem to be on high form.
after that though the stats start to fade and they get out of place.
The other important factor is players on the rise will be worth a lot more
than a has-been, so it is better to cash in on old players whilst you can
than let them rot away. You have a wage budget you know!
So keep old players as back up or sell them, and get those young players
either to leave on loan or a place on the bench.
===========
=3.3 Staff=
===========
These are the guys that look after the players and take a lot of the workload
from you. However, seeing as we are on a tight budget you may need to do a lot
of this yourself.
The key to the team is the head coach. He organises training schedules and
keeps your players in tip top condition. Its best to look for one of the best
availiable.
area coaches train up the players. it is recommended to hire good coaches at
first then upgrade to higher levels when you have hired the rest of the staff.
the physio looks after your player when they fall ill or get injured. He
selects the best option for recovery, and while it may not be the best
financial option it will guarantee the faster recovery of the player as well
as getting him back to form too. Hire a good physio because as you get stuck
into the season players will get injured and you'll need them back quickly.
Scouts are needed to report on next opposition and players. Without them you
could be bankrupting the club on a clown who thinks he's a forward or leaving
yourself open to a thrashing from the next match.
As you can see, you don't really need an assistant manager or commercial
manager. The deputy only hires staff you don't really need and sorts out the
contracts of players, something that only happens once a year.
The commercial manager sorts out advertising (piece of piss) and stadium
building, all of which you can sort out easily, so it's not worth splashing
out much needed wages on these two liabilities.
==============
=3.4 Finances=
==============
These can determine whether a club exists or not regardless of performance on
the pitch, so it's crucial you know what is being spent and setting budgets.
As a rule of thumb for smaller clubs, try to get the total wage (players and
staff) near enough to the total sponsorship income. Both are paid in and out
weekly, so try to get them balancing each other out. That way bonus money from
cup runs and league placement can be spent on purchasing new players.
For bigger clubs the attendance's should cover a rising wage bill.
================
=4.0 Formations=
================
Each manager has his own preference to which formation is the best. Hell,
reputations have been gained and jobs lost due to this belief.
bear in mind that whatever formation you pick is useless unless you have the
tactics to match it. It's no good playing 4-2-4 if you want to defend and play
short passes. You have to be attacking fully with long direct play.
for me the 4-3-1-2 (4-4-2 with a diamond midfield) suits my fast attacking
play but like I said it is all down to what game you play.
=============
=4.1 Tactics=
=============
A manager should choose tactics to complement the formation. As I pointed out
ealier, its not good playing an attacking formation if you wish to defend,
and visa-versa.
The counter attack is used mostly on away matches and against teams who are
likened to attack. for me it is common sense to pull everyone back, leaving
the forwards up front and then break quickly.
A deep defense usually tries to contain the opposition until the midfield has
recovered. Good if you have a slow midfield but pointless if playing the
offside trap. I tend to play a more pressing game, believing that forcing the
opposition into making errors and playing for offside benefits the team.
Focusing on defence will limit attacking play but ensure a better chance at a
clean sheet. Again, I totally disagree and play almost full attacking seeing
that the team who scores the most wins.
Short passing keeps possession and conserves fitness, whereas hit-and-hope
long ball tactics will tire players quickly.
Attacking in a patient manner means keeping possession and frustrating the
Opponents. this is great against good teams and in the last 10 mins, but I
find playing direct increases attacking chances and takes the pressure off
the defence.
Ball distribution is down to the formation you play. 3-5-2 should require
balanced placement but my formation (4-3-1-2) is more central.
==============
=4.2 Training=
==============
Section forthcoming...
=============
=5.0 Stadium=
=============
This is where the paying public view you team. Attendances vary on league
position and rating, so building an 80,000 capacity all-seater for a third
division club isn't wise.
Of course, the bigger the stadium the more sponsorship revenue you can gain.
but building chairs on concrete ain't cheap and doesn't happen overnight
either.
Your best bet is to build a new stadium, that way the money comes from a
pre-determined budget and doesn't affect the funds for your team. It also
doesn't affect attendances for the season, leaving you with a full house for
many months.
In forthcoming updates I'll share with you my stadiums that I have built.
=================
=6.0 Information=
=================
Whilst many pass this off as a cosmetic function, learn to treasure it. Here
you can view the top scorers (handy if you need to buy one) and also the top
team made from all the players in the division. This means you can keep track
of players in great form, and possibly make a bid for them.
===============
=7.0 The Match=
===============
Where all your hard work pays off. Or at least it should.
Before starting thegame the first port of call should be the shoulder action
buttons. Assign shouts that will not only be useful but things that your
tactics do not offer. For example, what is the point in shouting to play
direct when you already do? For best results use two defensive and two
offensive strategies in case your team need to keep hold of a lead or have to
push up for an equaliser.
Next is choosing the side. I prefer to line up the best availiable (by that I
mean not injured or banned) and then flick across to fitness. Now try to
replace those on low fitness so your squad is both strong and fit.
Now flick across to your scouting screen to view information about the
opposition. Using this you should be tinkering in the tactics menu, for
example if they (the opposition) are playing long ball then set your defence
to deep. That way they shouldn't get caught out. A team that focuses on
attacking play should be vulnerable to the counter attack, so either play it
from the start or assign it to a shoulder button.
Now this may seem silly but before I start the match I look at the selected
squad and carefully look over the tactics. This is to make sure I haven't
forgotten anything as the worst thing you can do is rush through the build-up
and leave your team weakened.
Once in the match it is important to keep calm. Sure, do what i do and march
up and down the room swearing at the ref for every poor decision but you
must let the team do the work. Shouting instructions (using the shoulder
buttons) every five minuted will confuse the players and they will make
mistakes. Limit yourself to one every 15 mins (that's three a half) to
ensure the team can have a go at the opposition.
If you've survived at half time, then it's time to get down to business. look
at the stats screen, and most importantly the possession rating. If you have
low possession and have not had many chances on goal then consider a new
approach, maybe more patient passing or a more attacking mentallity. Next
view the player ratings. I must stress the fact that I never take off a player
at half time. I like to give them 10/15 mins of the second half to prove
themselves, and if they don't then haul them off at the expense of someone
else. I usually find that if a forward with a high rating at half time hasn't
scored yet then he usually does just after.
When the match is over, resist the temptation of drowning your sorrows or
throwing a celebration party and look at the stats instead. Highlights don't
prove anything so I prefer to gather my information here. Do exactly the
same as half time, only take notes over the course of about five games. This
way you can be sure of a problem in the team rather than jumping to
conclusions too early- remember that players have off days.
=============
=8.0 Players=
=============
This is a list of all my greatest finds, as well as other people who have
emailed me. This section (as well as many others) is in early days so expect
more detailed information in future updates.
Note; all player values and clubs are from the start of the game, and players
move around a lot so their values fluctuate. The best way to find them is to
type in the name in the search menu (found in the transfer section)
UPDATE- If you are submitting players then can you please copy and paste this
template- it makes it so much easier to include into the FAQ!
Name-
Position(s)-
Age-
Value-
Club-
Rating-
Comments-
Goal Keepers
Name- Isaksson
Position(s)- GK
Age- 21
Value- £1.9m
Club- Djurgardens, Sweden
Rating- 4
Comments- Fantastic prospect for the future. Offers in the region of £3m will
tempt him away, and he is very cheap on wages and loyal. A great keeper to
backup first teamers for bigger clubs (Real, Man U) and consistent enough to
hold down the no.1 shirt at smaller teams.
Name- Van der Sar
Position(s)- GK
Age- 31
Value- £11.750m
Club- Fulham
Rating- 5
Comments- Although getting old, Edwin is a brilliant keeper. His handling
skill might let him down at key moments but he's the most prolific across
the board. Not the cheapest in wages but performs great in big matches.
Left Backs
Name- Wome
Position(s)- LB, LM
Age- 23
Value- £4.2m
Club- Fulham
Rating- 4
Comments- The cheaper alternative to Carlos, this guy is electric. Great stats
at only 23yo means much room and time for improvement. Only fools would look
over him.
Name- Carlos
Position(s)- LB
Age- 29
Value- £15m
Club- Real Madrid
Rating- 5
Comments- If Robo was a desert he would be strawberries and cream. Expensive
but delicious. And that's exactly how he is. Will cost a ton to buy but can
play up front if you wish (thanks to a high shooting stat). 'nuff said
Name- Chivu
Position(s)-LB, CB
Age- 21
Value- £14.750m
Club- Ajax
Rating- 5
Comments- Young but not cheap, Chivu can compete at the highest level. best
played at CB with the satisfaction knwoing he'll cover pretty good for LB.
Centre Backs
Name- Mexes
Position(s)- CB
Age- 20
Value- £14m
Club- AJ Auxerre
Rating- 5
Comments- BUY HIM! Very young and great player, he will double in price by the
time he's matured. Quite cheap in wages and very loyal.
Name- Goma
Position(s)- CB
Age- 30
Value- £4m
Club- Fulham
Rating- 4
Comments- Fantastic stats means he can play at the highest level. Great for
teams looking for a good defender on a low budget.
Name- Lescott
Position(s)- CB
Age- 20
Value- £6.1m
Club- Wolves
Rating- 3
Comments- Needs time to develop but a great back-up player.
Name- Nesta
Position(s)- CB
Age- 26
Value- £22m
Club- AC Milan
Rating- 5
Comments- Ultimate defender. Great marking, tackling and heading skills and
good captain too. very intelligent is basically everything you could look for.
Name- Cannavaro
Position(s)- CB
Age- 29
Value-£15m
Club- Inter Milan
Rating- 5
Comments- Great pairing with Nesta, cheaper too. With time running out on his
career the price should drop considerably in the next few seasons, leaving him
an open target.
Name- Hofland
Position(s)- CB, LB
Age- 23
Value- £13.750m
Club- PSV
Rating- 4
Comments- A good prospect who should be given many sub appearences in his first
season to boost morale and stats. For smaller teams shove him straight in and
he should do the job fine.
Right Backs
Name- Belozyorov
Position(s)- LB, CB, RB
Age- 17
Value- £4.7m
Club- Spartak Moscow
Rating- 5
Comments- Quite fussy when choosing a club to move to, but cheap on wages
and agreat player. many years to improve but has the quality to compete at
thehighest level.
Defensive Midfielders
Name- Davis
Position(s)- CM
Age- 23
Value- £10m
Club- Fulham
Rating- 4
Comments- Needs time to compete but great back-up player. Good tackling and
passing with the ability to captain the side.
Left Midfielders
Name- Montano
Position(s)- LM
Age- 19
Value- £6.3m
Club- Piacenza
Rating- 4
Comments- If you are willing to wait a while for him to improve then this is
a great purchase. Good overall stats and good wages too.
Name- Rochemback
Position(s)- LM, CM, RM
Age- 20
Value- £7.7m
Club- Barcelona
Rating- 5
Comments- Fantastic passing and versatility make this an essential purchase.
Attacking Midfielders
Name- Malbranque
Position(s)- CM, RM, CF, RF
Age- 22
Value- £4.5m
Club- Fulham
Rating- 4
Comments- Bargain. Stats will improve greatly and is a consistent performer.
Corner and free kick taking icons make him a great addition to any team.
Name- Quaresma
Position(s)- CM, CF
Age- 19
Value- £4.6m
Club- Sporting CP
Rating- 4
Comments- Great passing and shooting make this youngster irresistable. Only
negative feature is a lack of pace, meaning a position in the centre of
midfield more applicable.
Name- Karadeniz
Position(s)- CM, CF
Age- 22
Value- £22.5m
Club- Trabzonspor, Turkey
Rating- 5
Comments- Essential. Passing, shooting and technique are a notch away from the
likes of Zidane. Fussy about who he'll move to but worthwhile.
Right Midfielders
Name- Ishizaki
Position(s)- RM, RF
Age- 20
Value- £10m
Club- AIK, Sweden
Rating- 5
Comments- Great prospect and will improve greatly. Fantastic pace, accurate
passing and good shooting make him the ultimate buy for this position.
Forwards
Name- Saha
Position(s)- CF
Age- 24
Value- £8.5m
Club- Fulham
Rating- 3
Comments- Good buy for lower teams looking for goals, but won't improve much.
best used as a sub.
Name- Marlet
Position(s)- CF, CM
Age- 28
Value- £11.5m
Club- Fulham
Rating- 3
Comments- A good player but there is much more out there worth your time for
less money.
Name- Boa Morte
Position(s)- CF, CM
Age- 25
Value- £6.7m
Club- Fulham
Rating- 3
Comments- Good buy for high first division teams. Great pace lets him glide
past defenders but is not good enough to compete at the highest level.
Name- Robben
Position(s)- CF
Age- 18
Value- £4.2m
Club- PSV
Rating- 4
Comments- Nees time to improve but great is used as a sub. Low value should
mean you can snap him early.
Name- Protti
Position(s)- CF, RF
Age- 35
Value- £1.6m
Club- Livorno
Rating- 4
Comments- (thanks to Matt Walker) Trying to find a good cheap forward for my
Fulham team proved difficult until Matt told me of a 35yo called Protti.
Looking at his age might tempt some off but this guy is amazing! Great
shooting, technique and passing make him a great buy for any team, especially
at that price!
Name- D. Tristan
Position(s)- CF
Age- 26
Value- £40,000,000
Club- Deportivo
Rating- 1
Comments- (Thanks to Rory Oldroyd) Biggest flop signing I ever made. Biggest
waste of £57,000,000 I ever spent. Scored 3 goals in 16 matches.
Name- P. Kluivert
Position(s)- CF
Age- 27
Value- £40,000,000
Club- Barcelona
Rating- 4
Comments- (Thanks to Rory Oldroyd) Superb Heading, Shooting and scores almost
every other game at worst. Shame he wont improve much cos of his age and costs
an absolute bomb. Mabye worth buying after he's gone 30 though.
=============
=9.0 Credits=
=============
Thanks for peoples patience on the GameFAQs board, I had trouble getting the
game so I couldn't write the FAQ!
gamefaqs.com- a brilliant resource for all your gaming needs!
www.thunderbolt.be- for giving me this writing 'talent' that I love so much!
Codemasters- for having the guts to take on CM
==============
=10.0 Contacts=
==============
I have tons of email every day so to make sure yours is read please
please follow the guidelines below.
Email- bluetonejornada@yahoo.co.uk
Yahoo! Messenger handle: bluetonejornada
Recommending players- Please put 'recommended players' in the title box before copy
and pasting the template located in section 8.0.
Correcting errors- Please put 'error correct' in the title box.
And if you have any feedback then just send 'lma 2003 faq'
Thanks for reading! If this guide has helped you then please could you click
the 'YES' button at the bottom of this FAQ. Thanks!
