Football Manager 2021 New Features to Include Recruitment Revamp & Trophy Lifts
By Ali Rampling
Fresh details of new and improved features for Football Manager 2021 have been announced ahead of the game's hotly anticipated release on 24 November.
A recent trailer for the game hinted at new features and tactics that users - sorry managers - would have at their disposal, the full details of which have now been revealed by the game's creators, Sports Interactive.
Interaction
Gestures and a 'Quick Chat' feature are new communication-based additions that are making an appearance in FM21.
"The addition of gestures in FM21 allows managers to express themselves in more nuanced ways whether that’s in a face-to-face meeting, in their weekly press conference or while giving a team-talk in a crucial fixture," Sports Interactive explain.
"Using gestures will allow managers to add impact to their words and set the mood for their conversations with players and the media."
The body language of others will also be more nuanced, allowing you to read how those in press conferences are responding to what you are saying.
The Quick Chats feature enables managers to have shorter, more informal conversations with players, other managers and journalists.
Matchday Experience
The matchday experience has also been improved, with a new pre-match tactical meeting feature. Managers are also able to see opposition team sheets and make tactical tweaks accordingly.
A redesigned UI has revamped how the games themselves will look, while a brand new xG system (everyone's favourite stat) is being incorporated to provide added analysis.
Recruitment
Recruitment is always one of the most popular parts of Football Manager, and this has been freshened up with a new 'Recruitment Meetings' feature and greater interactions with players' agents.
"The new Recruitment Meetings will ensure that managers and their recruitment teams are on the same page both at addressing immediate areas for improvement and the club’s longer-term strategy in the transfer market," Sports Interactive added.
"These meetings take place in the run-up to transfer windows and allow managers to view reports, set assignments and set out the priorities for their scouts and analysts in the upcoming window.
"Managers will also have greater interaction with players’ agents in FM21. Agents can be approached to find out how interested their clients would be in joining your club and what conditions you might need to meet in order to get them to put pen to paper."
End of Season
The end of season experience has also been tweaked, enabling managers to indulge in their success for longer.
On the pitch celebrations have been adapted to include podiums and a confetti cannon (for those managers who actually win stuff), as well as an end of season review has been added to enable you to look back on the previous campaign via an on and off the pitch highlights reel!