Matthew Le God

Its always going to look largely similar from version to version as it is basically a football stadium, football pitch and some players at a distance. Its not going to compete each year with FIFA's graphics as SI/SEGA don't have the manpower or budget that EA Sports have. It does more accurately recreate what happens in an actual match better than FIFA, even though it doesn't look as pretty in 3D. What were you expecting to see out of a Football Manager's bedroom window? The pitch is over there between the land and the sky. Have you played the beta yet Mr Tokyo-Saint?

You mock, but you can quite clearly see big differences. Football Manager 2009...

The pre-release beta is now out on Steam for people have pre-ordered from participating retailers.

50% of the last 4 seasons... 2010/11 - Liverpool came 6th & no European football achieved - Fulham 8th (Fair Play), Stoke 13th (FA Cup runners up) and Birmingham (League Cup winners) 18th into Europa League 2012/13 - Everton came 6th & no European football achieved - Swansea 9th (League Cup winners) and Wigan 18th (FA Cup runners up) into Europa League You need 5th to guarantee European football.

6th place in the Premier League is not an automatic Europa League qualification spot.

Key word in this article... "initial allocation of 2,000" http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/tickets-arsenal-vs-southampton-03122014-2028498.aspx

Gus Poyet ponders hitting the button...

Features video for Football Manager Classic mode (the streamlined version of FM)...

Doesn't look like the building will stop at Staplewood! On 22nd August 2014 Saints made this application to the New Forest district council to expand the main pavilion building which was finished in July. Planning statement http://web3.newforest.gov.uk/ConnectAcolaidWebExternal/GetDocumentContentExternal.aspx?documentId=979037&filename=7041Planning+Statement36200870000.pdf.pdf Design document Part 1 http://web3.newforest.gov.uk/ConnectAcolaidWebExternal/GetDocumentContentExternal.aspx?documentId=979032&filename=7041D+and+A+Statement+Part+1+of+236200870000.pdf.pdf Part 2 http://web3.newforest.gov.uk/ConnectAcolaidWebExternal/GetDocumentContentExternal.aspx?documentId=979033&filename=7041D+and+A+Statement+Part+2+of+236200870000.pdf.pdf Elevations of extension http://web3.newforest.gov.uk/ConnectAcolaidWebExternal/GetDocumentContentExternal.aspx?documentId=979031&filename=7041D06Elevations36200870000.pdf.pdf Ground floor plan of extension http://web3.newforest.gov.uk/ConnectAcolaidWebExternal/GetDocumentContentExternal.aspx?documentId=979028&filename=7041D02Ground+Floor+Plan36200870000.pdf.pdf First floor plan of extension http://web3.newforest.gov.uk/ConnectAcolaidWebExternal/GetDocumentContentExternal.aspx?documentId=979029&filename=7041D03First+Floor+Plan36200870000.pdf.pdf

[video=youtube;WsSoHf0qv-w]

Forget rehab, take it on a stand up tour...

How many hours does Steam say you've spent on FM14? Divide how much it cost you by the number of hours spent on it. Is that not good value for money entertainment?

I haven't needed to buy the game since 2006, so its not something I have looked at for a long time. Looks like some sites are selling it for close(ish) to £20 (good value for money when you divide it by the number of hours many put into it), but not all sites offer the beta access to pre-orders so you'll have to shop around if you want that.

Interview... First name: Graziano Surname: Pellè Bad habits: Not many, apart from biting my nails due to the stress after games. You moved to Southampton last July, how are you adapting to live in England? It’s ok now. The first month wasn’t very easy, even though I’m quite a positive person and don’t usually suffer from homesickness. But of course it’s better after those goals. What are the differences between Southampton, Alkmaar and Rotterdam? Alkmaar is a small town. They have their cheese trade show there. It’s particular, it’s funny and it’s a place where you can live well. As for Rotterdam, you can still see the damage from the war- they’re in a rebuilding stage. They have one of the biggest ports in the world. It’s a very beautiful city, there’s an old part of the city and a new one- there’s a marked distinction between the two. Southampton is another city with a port. It seems I always go to places where there’s the sea. I still have to get to know the city, I have just arrived, and there’s time. You were given the nickname “Italian Stallion” in Holland after scoring 50 goals in 57 matches there. Is that true? Yes, it’s true. I don’t know the details, I don’t know why they chose the name stallion… Joking aside, the head coach and his staff trusted me a lot and I rewarded them with a lot of goals. If I hadn’t scored all those goals, I wouldn’t be here now. Tell us the weirdest thing that happened whilst you were in the Netherlands There are a lot… When I was signing for AZ, I was discussing what shirt number I could have with Louis Van Gaal. I love the number 9, be it 9, 19 or 18- I’m not afraid of fate. Anyway, I like the number 9 because it symbolizes the striker. Van Gaal told me: “9 is taken, 19 is too… Ok, 90 or 99”. I replied: “No, no please, not those high numbers. Which number are you going to give me?” He: “29 or 39”… And I said: “I don’t like 29 very much”. Van Gaal said: “Then 90 or 99”, and I reiterated my disappointment. Van Gaal is very strict and I eventually said: “Then I’m not signing for the club”. He got very angry, stood up and went to my agent and said to him: “How dare this guy to do something like that?” I then told him that I was joking. He is a great coach too. You converted a panenka penalty at the U21-Euros in Holland in 2007. Did you draw inspiration from Totti, who did the same at Euro 2000 in Holland too? Yes, it was great to watch his successful panenka penalty kick. He is obviously a specialist at it. I had a verbal wager with Montolivo and Chiellini and they told me: If you have the courage, then do it! The adrenaline of the game helped me stay calm. I felt more tense when I saw the penalty on TV after the game. Which player inspired you to play football? My father. He used to play in minor leagues. He got to play in Serie C, but if you speak to all his former colleagues, it looks like they were Van Basten or Rijkaard. They keep saying that it was a lot more difficult back then to make it to Serie C, you know, the usual stories. He used to show me all the videos of great players: Van Basten, the Brazilian Ronaldo, I grew up drawing inspiration from all the great players who used to play back then. We know that you were a dancing champion and that this is a passion of yours. How did it start? My mother loved dancing, my three-year-older sister also did it. It was a two-person-dance, so she needed a partner. I said that I would dance with my sister to make my mother happy. I even had to use heels because my older sister was taller than me. When I started playing for Lecce, I quit dancing because it was a great opportunity and my mother understood that. What would you do in order to score your first ever goal for the senior national team? I better not reveal that because I would be forced by my teammates to actually do it. I’ll give my all, but I don’t know what I’d do. Now say hello to the Vivo Azzurro users through a sentence in dialect from Salento, in Dutch and English.

Or you could watch the video...

For Bearsy and Tokyo-Saint some newgens will grow moustaches in Movember, I guess that will be their favourite feature!

Game released on 7th November.

I'm not, are you? With your fuzzy hairstyle I wouldn't like to be the person behind you in the cinema.

If I tell you anything I shouldn't then Sonic the Hedgehog will hire a hitman to take me out. My pr!ckly overlord is not a man(hedgehog) to be messed with! I'm sure you can be patient and wait until 8:40pm tonight.

I think you'll have to keep guessing. Could take you a while...

Details of whats new in Football Manager 2015 will be revealed at 20:40 tonight.

Umm... no.