8. Training's Much Better
If theres any part of the game which some players just view as witchcraft, its the training system. Ive seen FM veterans who never even touch it, entirely because theyre not quite sure of what theyre doing and they cant see the fruits of their labours. Well me, I find that a shame training can be a really rewarding aspect of the game if you choose to address it, and whipping a young wastrel into a Premier League starlet is among the best feelings one can have on the game. Yet I do acknowledge their point the training screen can seem a bit overwhelming (although thats been overhauled too so you have a better idea of whats going on see below) and when your only real feedback comes from the month update telling you that your goalkeepers failed at strength training again (Im beginning to think Derbys Frank Fielding is a bit of a virtual weakling), its not as if youve got much of a reason to stay in touch with the system.
Well, FM 14 seeks to remedy that by overhauling the feedback interface. First of all, the old monthly update has more depth to it whereas before you were just given player names and what they were excelling at, you now get the option to up their training intensity and change their focus, all on the fly from the news screen. Furthermore, the feedback from your coaches on players is no longer just one all-encompassing statement now, your backroom staff can offer opinions on their training schedule (even telling you what style of player you should train them as), their tactical awareness, how you should man-manage them, their general well-being and finally their development, meaning you no longer have to wait for the lottery of the coaching feedback sessions to see precisely what they think about all aspects of your player. Granted, if you looked hard enough on FM 13 you could find all the answers to these questions, but I for one am happy theyve condensed it down to an easily-manageable screen.
