Getting Started

Last updated : 30 November 2007 By Andy Beill
Set up a pre-season training schedule and bring in some new coaches (see Training page to give specific advice on this subject)

Alter your friendlies as necessary. Try not to make too many changes though as it can be difficult to get teams to agree to games at this late stage. I managed to get Feyenoord for a home friendly, crowd of 19,000. I don't like to play any friendlies in the week before the first league game. If you start the season away, try and end with an away friendly (or if you start at home, end with a home friendly) so you can finalise your team and tactics for the big day. Arrange some friendlies for your reserves as well to give match time to everyone. There'll be no reserve league game scheduled for the first couple of weeks of the season so consider arranging some for then as well, most Championship clubs will accept (remember you've got the League Cup 1st Round in the first week of the season though).

Offer your star players new contracts. Turner, Marney and Ricketts are all likely to be the subjects of big offers, and it's important to include large 'minimum fee release' clauses in their contracts or else Duffen will decide to sell them for less!

Make some bids for new players before you get beaten to them.

For further discussion on this topic and to share your tips, please click here for the 'Getting Started' thread in the Message Board's Games Room.