The Deep Lying Podcast

It’s that time of year, so while your hosts are off wrapping presents and wondering about the January transfer window, we’ve put together a clip show special that shows off the best bits of the past year of the Deep Lying Podcast.

We also announce the winner of our Christmas giveaway. Was it you? You’ll have to listen to find out. Now there’s some incentive for you.

We’d also like to say a big thank you to everyone who’s listened and joined in this year. Expect more potentially excellent episodes in the new year.

Here’s what you can expect from the rest of the clips –

• Iain Macintosh talks us through his book about Football Manager – The Football Manager’s Guide To Football Management.
• Then we talk to Tony Jameson and how he made a comedy show based around his exploits in Football Manager. He definitely doesn’t drop any names.
• Next up it’s James Beedie from the FM Whizzkids. We have a chat about how he runs one of the biggest FM databases, and why they’re so popular.
• Last but not least we catch up with Hamoudi to talk about FM in the UAE. We cover what the community is like over there, and how FIFA is still the top of the football tree in that corner of the world.

That’s a whole lot of great content in one lovely podcast. You can listen to it on SoundCloud by clicking here, or if you’d prefer head over to iTunes and search for Deep Lying Podcast.

George is on his own again this week, because Ed is having trouble with the commute of his new job. But fear not, because he’s joined by Hogan Ephraim, who we think is the first guest we’ve had on who’s actually been in Football Manager. And we’ve got a competition. Yup, a competition.

The question of the week is about people’s festive traditions in FM. George’s Christmas tradition revolves around A Muppet’s Christmas Carol and ignoring family time in order to get in a full season with Wolves.

A lot of the community make sure that they line up Christmas Day in the real world with Christmas Day in the game to get a special Easter Egg. We guess that’s actually a Christmas Egg, really.

And then there’s all of this stuff too –

• Hogan walks us through learning the logistics of the game with Manchester United. He’s more than ten years in the future, but he’s looking to start a new save in the next week or so.
• He also talks about the realism of the transfer market, and how he’s thinking about QPR for his next save and possibly starting a save in the conference and working his way up.
• George’s Oldham save features another player revolt, and even though he’s only got a £5000 transfer budget everything’s going pretty darn well.
• Hogan talks about how many people you’ll see playing Football Manager on the coach to games on a Saturday. And George wonders whether FM is likely to get more people into actual football management.
• We then chat about how Hogan doesn’t sign himself when he plays, how he sometimes need to substitute himself, and how he dealt with his own digital son.
• And then we launch our first competition. Full of fabulous prizes!

If you want to check all of that out, and a bunch more excellent content, then check out the podcast on SoundCloud by clicking right here. Or alternatively head to iTunes and search for Deep Lying Podcast.

George takes the hosting reins this week, and Ed might turn but it’s his last day at work and he could be boozing it up in Swindon.

George is joined by Dec from FMHVibe to talk about Football Manager Mobile, and what it’s like working in the hallowed halls of Sports Interactive.

The question of the week is about the clubs you’ve never gotten round to managing. Obviously there’s loads, but we’re talking about the ones we’ve avoided for a reason.

Dec goes for Arsenal, partly for stylistic reasons and partly because he really doesn’t like Arsenal. George admits that in his 13 year career he’s never taken over the reins at Bayern Munich.

And then there’s all of this good stuff as well –

• George’s Leeds team are in the top half of the table after a Christmas funk, but a new formation has picked his team up. Injuries might foil his plans, and the January transfer window could be key.
• Dec reveals he’s never played Championship Manager, and that his FM career started off on a slightly strange console. Could it be nostalgia that keeps him playing the mobile versions?
• Then we talk about the changes that have been made in the latest mobile version of the game, including coaches and the cross save between FM Touch.
• And he talks about the understandable gripes that PC players have with the more casual version that you can fit in your pocket. Then we discuss the mobile games that might have the chance to topple SI from the top of its mobile perch.
• The Dec tells us about the time he spent on work placement at SI. Everyone is very nice there, and everyone is incredibly passionate about FM, which is good to hear.

There’s more going on as well, and you can catch it all in the SoundCloud player below. Or hop off to iTunes and search for Deep Lying Podcast.

 

This week Ed and George reach number 27, and Ed explains why it’s one of his favourite numbers. There’s no guest, but that doesn’t slow down the FM love.

George delivers a question inspired by Matt Jollie, and asks the community the strangest place they’ve ever played Football Manager. Ed’s answer isn’t all that strange, but he apologises for that.

George trumps him a little with two answers. Coffee shops in San Francisco for the first one, then slightly confused in Bangalore International Airport for the second.

And then there’s all of this as well –

• George and Ed are both excited for their saves for what might be the first time in 27 episodes. George is halfway through his second season at Leeds and it’s looking like they might make the playoffs. He’s surpassing expectations.
• Ed has started up another FM16 save, this time with Norwich. An uneventful first season was mainly spent trying to find a tactic for the canaries. The second season isn’t going quite so well though. Is it time to attack?
• We discuss why the saves are sticking this time around. George is keeping faith with Leeds even though the Premier League keeps knocking.
• We also have a chat about how YouTube has changed the way we consume content about Football Manager. Ed likes to read books, which is sort of understandable.

There’s much more going on here as well, so why not give the whole podcast a listen in the SoundCloud player below. Or if you’d prefer head to iTunes and search for Deep Lying Podcast.

Ed and George are joined by Tony Jameson, the man behind Football Manager Ruined My Life. He’s an enigmatic and handsome comedian, and it’s fair to say Ed and George don’t really know much about the comedy life.

Our question of the week is about the best signing you’ve made in FM16 so far. Tony dodges the question by not signing anyone and playing in the MLS. He’s looking for a League 2 clogger to turn into a superstar. Akinfenwa is on his radar.

George uses Leeds’ lack of coffers for his poor signings. Steven Hunt got in a strop and a flight of fancy makes the signing of a Spanish left back more entertaining.

Edward is still terrible at FM16, is bouncing around saves like a rabbit, but he thinks he might have settled at Villa and so he’s bought a beastly half back for 3.5 million.

And then there’s a lot of this sort of stuff too –

• George reveals there’s no credits sequence for lasting ten games at Leeds, but that he’s put his CV in the post to Elland Road to see if his new contract might snag him the real job.
• Tony talks us through his main save in the MLS. He chose the worst team – San Jose – and was a little surprised at how terrible they looked. But he’s rolling in mid-table solidity at the moment and his management style is pretty interesting.
• Almost inevitably, George hasn’t picked up the game much since his last update. But he’s sold some players, and worked his transfer budget up from £600. He’s cautiously optimistic.
• Ed gets a little self reflective about his own failings and ended up at Villa. He’s focusing on staff and tactics and trying to exploit the flanks. It’s going okay, sort of. He’ll be happy to get to January without crying.
• Tony tells us about his stand up show, how a Blyth Spartans save got a few laughs, and the slightly circuitous way he got the show onto the stage.

Believe us though, there’s loads more in there as well. You can listen to it in the SoundCloud player below, or if you’d prefer pop along to iTunes and search for Deep Lying Podcast.

 

 

 

 

We’re a quarter of a century into our podcast run, and this week we’re joined by Bardi from The Fighting Cock podcast.

The community question this week is the big one – who are you going to be playing as your first save in the full release of Football Manager 16? Happy Ed decides he’s going to play as Lyon, despite a “cacophony of shit” going down in the beta.

George is seriously considering continuing a Leeds save, despite his history of catastrophe when sitting in the dugout at Elland Road. Bardi is leaning towards Sassuolo in Serie A, mainly thanks to a certain player.

And then there’s all of this as well –

• Bardi shocks us with a confession about FM16. And he talks us through his FM15 save where he’s trying to rebuild the AC Milan dynasty after they were relegated to Serie B in the early 2020s.
• Ed talks about his beta save with Serbian side Čukarički, having the heart of the club ripped out by transfers, and how he can’t really face the consequences of his actions.
• We talk about picking up teams that we’ve heard a lot about in the media and the various ways we’ve messed those teams up.
• George’s first season at Leeds comes to an end with slight disappointment in a slightly bonkers but inevitable Championship scramble. But he lets his players run wild and free.
• Then we talk about the corridor of uncertainty for goalkeepers and why Robbie Savage might not be best placed to criticise keepers.
• Bardi talks us through his history with the series, from Championship Manager 2 to the present day. And how signing Ronaldo made him think it was an easy game. And how he made a business from it in school.

There’s lots more going on as well, so why not have a listen to the whole ‘cast in the SoundCloud player below. Or alternatively head to iTunes and search for Deep Lying Podcast.

This week we’re joined by author Iain Macintosh, who’s already played the beta a little bit and lets us in on a few of its secrets. The new draft mode certainly sounds like it’s shaping up nicely. And is perfectly timed for a nice drinking session.

Ed states that he’s a better manager than Iain, George makes a plea to Ed’s boss while Ed throws caution to the wind. The early signs are that the beta is definitely promising, even though George’s laptop has packed in.

Iain talks to us about his new book, The Football Manager’s Guide To Football Management. George has read the book in two sittings, and likes the soft lessons that it has to teach.

We’ve also played around with the format this week, because that’s the sort of rebels that we are. But you’ll still get to hear all of this goodness –

• Iain talks about the different types of real world scouts, including the ones who lounge around the pool. George chases his dream job with some probing questions.
• Ed rails against guides, because they’re essentially just letting someone else play the game for you. And that sort of defeats the point.
• Iain’s Everton save isn’t going very well at all. But then he’s playing Champion Manager 01/02, and that means that Everton go bankrupt at the start of the first season. And no one’s buying.
• Ed also gives out some scenarios. George has to try and get fired before Saturday’s match because the owners of PSG have decided to spend all their money on colonising Mars.
• Iain has to convince the new owners of Everton not to replace him in the dugout with Iain Dowie. He thinks his trump card is his presentation.

There’s much more going on in the podcast too, and you can listen to it all in the SoundCloud player below. Or hop over to iTunes and search for Deep Lying Podcast.

 

After a week break we’re back chatting about Football Manager with Luke. And for some reason George wants to instigate some kind of doomsday clock.

For the community question this week, with the beta just round the corner, we ask what you’re looking forward to in FM16. George is looking forward to draft mode, Luke is looking forward to draft mode, and Ed is looking forward to Football Manager 16.

But the joy is tainted with a little bit of sadness as we discuss our FM15 saves coming to their inevitable ends. We never wanna give them up.

Aside from all the wistful melancholy though, you’ll get all this too –

• George has abandoned intelligence for fun in his PSG save. After his Slovenian adventure he’s a little bit surprised by the budget he’s given after a league winning season. He’s also switched back to 2D.
• Ed’s love affair with France is in full swing now as well. He’s into his fifth season with Lyon, is a bit angry with Juventus – or the Italian Chelsea – and is spending money all over the place.
• Luke’s Stamford Strugglers save continues apace. He’s still working on getting a new stadium, but thanks to a quirk of the game he’s still got a bit of waiting to do. His transfer budget is, quite frankly, completely ludicrous.
• And we’re still trying to figure out who we’re going to play and what we’re going to do when FM16 finally lands. George inspires Occasional FM to make a plan for Leeds and considers Valencia for himself.
• Luke spells out his ideas for the new network features that are going to land in the new edition. George wonders about eSports.

You can listen to the whole podcast in the SoundCloud player below. Or if you’d prefer, head to iTunes and search for Deep Lying Podcast to listen that way.