Let’s be honest for a second. Starting a new save in Football Manager 2020 can feel a bit like being Mo Tautuaa after that infamous call. You remember the quote: “I’m not gonna say much. You all saw the play. I don’t agree with the call. That’s the exact opposite of the right call.” That sense of bewildered frustration, staring at a 2-1 defeat you’re convinced you didn’t deserve, is a universal FM experience. The game’s complexity means that sometimes, even when you think you’ve made all the right decisions, the match engine—or your own overlooked tactical nuance—hands you a result that feels utterly unjust. But here’s the thing: consistent success isn’t about luck or raging at virtual referees. It’s about building a foundation so solid that those questionable calls become mere footnotes in a dominant campaign. Based on my countless hours—some might say an unhealthy amount—of testing, failing, and finally thriving, here are ten essential tips to unlock your potential and find immediate success.
First, and I can’t stress this enough, your tactical setup is everything, but it starts with simplicity. I see so many players, especially new ones, diving into the tactical creator and adding a dozen intricate instructions, thinking complexity equals sophistication. It doesn’t. In my experience, a clean, coherent tactic with 3-4 team instructions max is far more effective in FM20. The match engine rewards clarity of purpose. For instance, if you’re playing a Gegenpress, focus on the core instructions: higher defensive line, more urgent pressing, and prevent short goalkeeper distribution. Leave the “be more expressive” and “play out of defence” for later, once your team is fluid. I made the mistake of overcomplicating my first save with Arsenal, and we were sitting 10th in November. I stripped it back, focused on a simple 4-2-3-1 vertical tiki-taka, and we finished 3rd. The difference was night and day.
Now, let’s talk about the backbone of your club: your staff. This is a non-negotiable area for immediate improvement. The default staff at most clubs, even big ones, are often not optimal. On day one, go to the Staff section and start replacing your Assistant Manager, coaches, and scouts. You want your Head of Youth Development to have a model citizen personality and a high Judging Player Potential rating—aim for 15 or above. For coaches, the star rating system is key, but it’s a composite of their attributes. A quick tip: a coach with 15+ in both Determination and Discipline contributes significantly to training star ratings. I once hired a fitness coach with 18 in Fitness and Motivation, and within six months, my team’s injury rate dropped by roughly 30%. It’s that impactful. Don’t delegate recruitment to your Director of Football either; that’s a surefire way to end up with a 34-year-old striker on massive wages you never wanted.
Player interactions and morale are the hidden engines of this game. A squad with superb morale can overperform its attributes by 15-20%, I’m convinced of it. Praise training ratings of 8.2 or above every week. Criticize anything below 6.5, but be careful—do it privately for established stars and publicly for underperforming youngsters who need a kick. If a key player is unhappy, address it immediately. Letting it fester is a season-killer. I learned this the hard way when my star winger, valued at £50 million, demanded a transfer because I ignored his concerns about training facilities for two months. We had to sell him for £35m. It was a £15 million mistake born from neglect.
Moving to transfers, the loan market is your best friend, especially if you’re at a smaller club. You can genuinely build a promotion-winning squad on loans alone. Use the “Search” function and add the filter “Loan Status” -> “Available for Loan.” Look for young players from top clubs who have strong physicals (Pace, Acceleration, Stamina around 13+) as they’ll adapt faster to lower leagues. Don’t just look at stars; look at the attributes that matter for the role. I took over a League Two side and loaned in a Chelsea youngster with 16 Acceleration and 14 Finishing. He scored 28 goals and won us the title. He was only a 2-star current ability for my team, but his key attributes were perfect for the level.
Set-pieces are a literal cheat code in FM20. Spending 30 minutes setting them up properly can net you 10-15 extra goals a season, no exaggeration. For corners, put your player with the best Jumping Reach and Heading on “Attack Near Post.” Have your best corner taker aim for the near post. For indirect free kicks, do the same. Defensively, always leave 2-3 players up front, even against stronger opponents. It pins back their defenders and prevents them from committing everyone forward. I went from having the worst defensive record from corners to the best in the Championship in one season just by tweaking these routines. It’s free real estate.
Training is another area where proactivity pays dividends. Don’t leave it to your AssMan. Before the season, use the “Schedules” tab to create a pre-season schedule heavy on physical training (Fitness and Tactical, with reduced intensity later in the week) and team cohesion. During the season, I create a weekly template: Match Practice on the day after a game, Defensive or Attacking Units leading up to the next match, and always a Match Review session after a loss. This hands-on approach increases tactical familiarity and sharpness noticeably faster. I also individualize training for key prospects. If I have a technically gifted midfielder, I’ll train him as a “Advanced Playmaker” but also add the “Plays One-Twos” trait. It makes him unique.
Finally, embrace the save. The moments of frustration, the Tautuaa-like disbelief at a last-minute winner against you, they make the triumphs sweeter. Football Manager 2020 is a deep, narrative-rich simulation. These tips aren’t about gaming the system; they’re about understanding its logic so you can craft your own story. Start simple, build smartly, and pay attention to the human elements—morale, personalities, cohesion. Do that, and you’ll find that you’re not just reacting to events, you’re orchestrating them. The potential isn’t just in your virtual squad; it’s in your approach. Now go unlock it.
