With the rise of Ultimate Team, Fifa’s Career Mode has taken a bit of a back-seat in recent times, but it’s back better than ever in Fifa 13 and one of the most comprehensive of its kind. The glitches that have plagued the last few years are largely gone, leaving you with a solid decade of a manager or player’s career to enjoy – be aware that you can’t act as a player-manager in this year’s career mode; it’s one or the other.
Here are some tips to get the most out of Fifa 13’s Manager Career Mode.
Know Your Team
Pick your team and know the list better than your own family
Some Fifa players will know their club’s list inside and out. Others will be picking a team they don’t follow in the real world, and then there are the hundreds of thousands of players who enjoy Fifa but not the elongated real world sport. Whoever you are, ensure you know your list in Career Mode.
A sizable contingency of players will likely be out on loan from the outset. Is this what you want? If not, recall them now – assuming you have the money to spare. Likewise, check your contract statuses and the health of your budget; if you’re trading in, you’re going to need to make room.
Buy and Sell Well
Getting transfers right is crucial in Fifa 13
Player transfers are more important in Fifa 13. You won’t be able to tempt every single player nor have the capacity to fit them within your budget. If you want to attract a star player, you’ll likely have to offload someone of a similar calibre to earn transfer currency and be able to pay their ludicrous wage.
You can also package a player with money to entice oppositions to trade with you. This can be a quick way to increase the value on offer when you’re short on funds if you don’t have time to find another transfer, assuming you’re offering a player of interest.
Pick who you want to bring into the club carefully and consider selling those who will be pushed out of your starting 11.
Furthermore, players will look after their best interests. They will only agree to join your club if you’re honest about their role, even if it’s as a depth player, and they’ll request a transfer if you’re not delivering on your promise.
Player Development
Game time improves players
Game time has always improved the vital statistics of young players, but now it can improve those in the middle and latter parts of their careers. Anyone over about 32 will slowly begin to decline in ability with age, but players younger than that will be able to improve their stats through game time and finding form.
Of course, this is most effective with young, up and coming players. If you unearth an 18-year-old superstar destined to reach level 93, ensure you play him and he’ll be rivalling Messi as the game’s best player much sooner than you think.
Youth Academy is a Gold Mine
Invest in quality scouts
If you’re only going to play for two or three seasons, you might as well enjoy the current generation of marquee players. If you want to extend your management career until the 2022-23 season, you’ll need to reinvigorate your squad with youth players.
The Youth Academy is an absolute gold mine. If you spend the money on quality scouts, you’ll be able to sign 16-year-olds well on their way to dominating the league by the time they’re 20. Computer generated players can be off-putting for fans who insist on realism, but if you’re playing Manager Mode as a fantasy game, the Youth Academy should capture your immediate attention.
Wait for International Offers
You’ll get several international offers
As a manager, you’ll get several offers to coach an international team. Don’t be rushed into accepting the first offer than comes through, as you’re destined to receive several more. However, you may have to risk jobs that present some interest as they will expire a month or two after you receive them. You won’t be taking charge of a super power immediately, so be prepared to accept a lesser nation you’re willing to manage. The contract is only for 12 months, and you can always resign from the position if you wish to move elsewhere.
As a player, you’ll be called into the national squad if you’re performing well. As an Australian this will happen almost immediately, and Americans won’t have to wait too much longer.
Join the European Cup
There’s an achievement in year one
When you establish a new Career Mode game in an applicable competition, you have the option to enable the European Cup in the first season – something Fifa has typically not allowed. Enabling this feature will net you a small achievement or trophy – it’s not much, but you only have one chance unless you favour starting again.
Speed, Speed, Speed!
Speed is even more important this year
Speed is one of the most vital statistics when you’re determining your best formation and players. With the more error-prone First Touch system implemented in Fifa 13, being able to run away from defenders is one quick-fire way to success.
As well as ensuring you have sufficient speedy players in your forward half, make sure you have at least one quick defender who is able keep up with nibble attackers.
A speedy striker sitting on the bench is also a super effective tactic when the starting 11 begin to tire. Players like Daniel Sturridge are fast when they start on the ground, but uncatchable against a tiring defence when they’re fresh off the bench.
Rotate Your Squad
Depth is crucial, but they all want to play
As I mentioned earlier, players like to whinge this year and will be quick to hand in a transfer request, even if their form doesn’t warrant selection. Injuries take their toll over the course of a long season. You need at least two players for each position worthy of a spot in the starting line-up, perhaps even three if some of them are on the wrong side of 30.
Use the cup competitions to give them all some playing time and ensure they are in decent form, should your preferred player innocuously fall over and end up with a broken ankle. You’ll also need to rotate some of them through the league games, as endurance isn’t everyone’s strength. This is especially important if you’re regularly using players on the wrong side of 30, let alone 35, who can’t run out as many games as they used to. Letting them tire too much will increase the chance of injury late in a match.
By Ben Salter
Do you have any tips for Fifa 13’s Career Mode?