What’s in a Football Manager name?
I don’t know if this is going to sound odd or not, but I don’t use my real name for my manager’s name in Football Manager. Or at least I haven’t since FM05. Every version since I have either used one particular manager name and profile, or a manager profile inspired by something FM related. At least usually.
Manager 1: Rodrigo de la Vega
The myth, the man, the legend. Here is the manager I’ve used in some manner in every version of Football Manager since FM05.
Back in FM05 I played a career game where I moved from Cowdenbeath to St. Johnstone and, after seasons of pain, broke the old firm apart. Establishing a new Scottish football order (before being tempted by the wages of Celtic and turning traitor). Initially, this doesn’t seem to have much to do with my manager name but… FM05 had the face in the game feature. And one of those was a small Mexican winger, Rodrigo de la Vega. I signed his for St. Johnstone and he became the SPL’s, Mexican Ryan Giggs. He was a winger wizard and tormented Scottish teams for almost 15 seasons. I’ve never quite had a player like that since so in every FM since unless playing a network game, my manager is named Rodrigo de la Vega.
Usually, I give him Mexican and Scottish nationality but I do change it depending on the save. Last year for FM19 and Tahiti I gave him nationalities like Austral so he’d have a better chance of managing one of the national teams. In my head, for my narrative, he had retired to the Islands and gained a new nationality. He had quite a successful career last year as well, starting with the Rurutu Humpbacks.
I will play as Rodrigo until the hard drive explodes (which is what happened to the one with the original FM05 save on – sad times) or until I cock it up so badly he can never get employed again. He will always live in every FM version. Cyber death or glory!
Manager 2: Yannick Janin
Rodrigo was all the rage but after his success in Tahiti for FM19 I decided that for FM20 a different manager would take the helm. One of our favourite players for our Rurutu Humpbacks side was our striker Yannick Janin. During Rodrigo’s time there he scored hundreds of goals, became the club top goal scorer and even managed a World Cup appearance.
So from retirement in FM19 to being a manager in FM20. One legend in Rodrigo handing the baton over to another in Yannick. A bit of a time warp but one we can forgive because #narrative. With the mighty Janin we are currently managing the Rapa-Iti Feral Cats. Hopefully, this legend is going to lead them to success.
Manager 3: Or you can be Ronnie Hotdogs
Do you listen to the Athletico Mince podcast, with Bob Mortimer and Andy Dawson? If yes then you already know where I’m going with this. If you don’t you need to stop reading immediately and listen to some of the back catalogue. A comedy (and some football) masterpiece.
For the (Beta by the Numbers) YouTube series I decided I wanted a slightly different manager. Yannick Janin was unlikely to venture to the cold of Northern Ireland for £100pw, and Rodrigo would be needed elsewhere. So up steps international man of culture Ronnie Hotdogs. I had thought the save (driven by stats) was just going to be a short-lived affair but just like Bob and Andy’s joke it has gone on and on. He’s now known in Northern Ireland for his aggressive hoofball ways.
You can see his successes, and struggles, in the Belfast Celtic series. I was partly inspired by the book Gunshots and Goalposts, about football in Northern Ireland. His rough and tumble ways seem to fit some of the conflict some of the historic matches Belfast Celtic had.
Watch this space for more Managers
The plan for the blog is for more save updates and maybe some stories. There may be some more managers on the way if the job doesn’t fit the CV’s of de la Vega, Janin or Hotdogs!