Is Football Manager too hard, too easy, or just right?

It’s a question that’s been asked time and again about Football Manager (mostly by me, when I’m scrambling to fund my McDonald’s addiction with Twitter ad revenue): is the game we all love too difficult, or is it just a walk in the park? This isn’t just idle speculation, either—it’s a question with big implications for the game’s future. If it’s too hard, it risks alienating new players who might otherwise become devoted fans. But if it’s too easy, regular players could lose that vital sense of achievement that makes every promotion, every cup win, and every wonderkid signing feel so rewarding.

Whichever way the scales tip, it’s a delicate balance to maintain, and the consequences could be huge. So, I’m here to settle the debate once and for all. After this, we can all move on with our lives, safe in the knowledge that the case is closed.



Why the game is too hard Let’s be real: Football Manager can be absolutely brutal for casual players. Its depth is both its greatest strength and its biggest stumbling block for newbies. The game throws an almost overwhelming number of systems at you, from tactics and training to scouting and recruitment.

While most games offer an “easy mode” to help you ease in (okay, playing as Manchester City probably counts), Football Manager expects you to dive headfirst into the deep end. I still remember my first foray into the game back in 2007. I opened it up, saw the tactical screen, and immediately thought, “Nope.

” If that was my reaction in 2007, imagine what new players are going through now, in an era where you can micromanage everything down to a player’s preferred training drills on Wednesdays. But then again, is this really too hard ? After all, the game prides itself on realism. If a complete novice walked into a Premier League dugout tomorrow, you wouldn’t expect them to win a title—or even survive the season.

So perhaps the steep learning curve is justified. Then there’s the matter of tactical complexity. Tactical instructions are as detailed as they are opaque.

What even is a “low block with a counter-press”? And don’t get me started on trying to figure out what a mezzala actually does (answers on a postcard, please). Despite playing the game for nearly two decades, every time I try to create a tactic from scratch, I feel like I’m just mashing random instructions together and hoping for the best. Sure, there are tutorials, YouTube videos, and community guides, but the game itself doesn’t do much to help you truly master the intricacies of advanced tactics.

It’s like learning to swim by being thrown into the Atlantic. Trial and error is the only way forward—and it’s not always fun. Why the game is too easy On the flip side, there’s a strong argument that Football Manager is far too easy—especially once you know how to game the system.

Take “meta” tactics, for example. Once you discover the right combination (hello, 4-2-3-1 gegenpress), you can steamroll leagues with ease. Even if your team is predicted to finish dead last, you can overperform wildly.

In real life, a high line with relentless pressing would probably see your team carved open every week—just ask Southampton fans how that’s working out for Russell Martin’s side. And that’s not even mentioning exploits like overpowered set pieces that turn your centre-back into the league’s top scorer or downloadable tactics that guarantee 120 goals a season. Then there’s the transfer market, which might as well come with a big sign saying “EXPLOIT ME.

” If you know what you’re doing, you can hoover up wonderkids from South America for peanuts and flip them for massive profits. Brighton and Chelsea may have mastered this in real life, but in Football Manager , you can turn any mid-table team into a financial powerhouse in a few short seasons. A friend of mine did a “moneyball” save and ended up with £1 billion in the bank after 10 years.

One. Billion. Pounds.

That’s not just bending reality—that’s breaking it over your knee. Granted, this kind of success is mainly achievable in cash-rich leagues like the Premier League, but even so, building a world-class squad is far quicker in FM than it ever would be in real life. And let’s not forget the other ways the game makes life easier for you.

In real life, managers don’t get neat little scores out of 20 for every player attribute, nor can they just sort by “wonderkids” to find the next Lionel Messi. If real-life scouts had Football Manager ’s tools, they’d probably be sipping cocktails on a yacht instead of braving non-league grounds in the rain (you can see more of my sneaky transfer exploits here ) So, Is It Too Hard or Too Easy? If I had to choose, I’d say Football Manager is..

. too easy. Yes, I’ve outlined plenty of reasons why the game can feel punishingly difficult, but when you step back and compare it to real-life management, it’s clear that it’s far easier to succeed in FM .

That’s why every seasoned player has a story about taking Woking from the National League to the Premier League. In real life, that kind of fairy tale happens maybe once a decade, if that. But—and this is a big “but”—that’s not a bad thing.

If the game were as realistic as real life, it wouldn’t be nearly as fun. Who wants to spend 10 in-game years slogging away in League Two with nothing to show for it? The balance between difficulty and accessibility is part of what makes Football Manager so special. One person’s dream of perfection is another’s nightmare of tedium, and that’s okay.

The game’s ability to cater to both is why it remains so beloved. What do you think? Is Football Manager too hard, too easy, or just right? Let me know in the comments—I’ll be here refreshing every five minutes while I wait for my McNuggets to arrive..