FM 2009 | Team Guide: Manchester United

Posted on | Monday, May 17, 2010 | No Comments

Founded in 1878, Manchester United are a professional English club currently playing in the English Premier Division. The club play their home games at Old Trafford and posses state of the art training & youth facilities. The Manchester United reserve team reserve team play at Moss Lane. The club is affectionately known as The Red Devils and retains a fierce rivalry with Liverpool, Manchester City & Leeds United. Manchester United Football Club is an English football club, based at the Old Trafford stadium in Trafford, Greater Manchester, and is one of the most popular football clubs in the world, with over 330 million supporters worldwide – almost 5% of the world's population. The club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, and has played in the top division of English football since 1938, with the exception of the 1974–75 season. Average attendances at the club have been higher than any other team in English football for all but six seasons since 1964–65.

Information of Manchester United FC

Year Founded: 1878
Status: Professional
Reputation: Worldwide
Chairman Status: Loves the Club
Legends: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Sir Bobby Charlton, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, Sir Alex Ferguson
Icons: Bryan Robson, Ryan Giggs, Mark Hughes, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Brian Kidd, Steve Bruce, Denis Irwin, Peter Schmeichel, Rudd Van Nistelrooy, Nicky Butt, Brian McLair, David Beckham, Phil Neville, Andrew Cole
Favourred Personnel: Teddy Sheringham, Sammy McIlroy, Lou Macari, Steve Coppell
Fierce Rivals: Liverpool, Manchester City, Leeds United
Other Rivals: Arsenal, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea
Finances: Rich
Average Ticket Price: 37
Average Season Ticket Price: 709
Season Ticket Holders: 58000
Estimated Value: 440m
Continental Competition: European Champions League
Media Prediction: 1st
Squad Personality: Very Determined
Captain: Gary Neville

Stadium and Training

Ground: Old Trafford
Capacity: 75000
Season Ticket Holders: 58000
Average Ticket Price: £37
Average Season Ticket Price: £709
Training Facilities: Top Training Facilities
Youth Facilities: Excellent Youth Facilities + Youth Academy

Staff

Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson
Assistant Manager: Mike Phelan
First Team Coach: Rene Meulensteen
Coaches: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Warren Joyce, Eric Steele, Richard Harris, Tony Strudwick, Richard Hawkins, Tony Whelan, Eamon Mulvey, Paul McGuiness, Brian McClair, Tommy Martin, Mark Dempsey
Physios: Rob Swire, Richard Merron, Steve McNally, Mandy Johnson, Neil Hough, Tony Gill, John Davin, Garry Armer
Scouts: Jeff Watson, Tom Vernon, Jim Ryan, Gilles Rouillon, John Owen, Antonio Lopez, Jim Lawlor, Derek Langley, Martin Ferguson, Eddie Coulter, Joe Corcoran, John Calvert-Toumlin, Emmanuel Amunike

Finances

Estimated Value: £403m
Loan Debt: £682m
Balance: £75m +
Transfer Budget: £10m
Remaining Wage Budget: £160k

First Team Squad

Goalkeeper

Edwin Van Der Sar - Van Der Sar may be getting on now but still will do a great job in goal. If Ben Foster isn't your cup of tea you might want to look to find a replacement sooner rather than later.

Tomasz Kuszczak - Will do a decent job in goal as Van Der Sar's back-up but with United's reputation you could do much better.

Ben Foster - A young talent with lots to give in the future, and will become a valuable member of your first team squad if you keep him. Although expect bids for him in the first transfer window.

Defenders

Wes Brown - A very capable right-back and definately choose him over Gary Neville & Rafael for the time being. This isn't a position you need to strengthen.

Jonny Evans - Young & talented, Evans will turn into a very good defender in the future, and should be at his peak just as Ferdinand & Vidic are ready to move on. Don't sell him if you recieve bids.

Patrice Evra - One of the best left-backs on the game and will get down the wings well and get some good assists for your team. Might want to find some back-up though.

Rio Ferdinand - Top centre-back and will give performance after performance. Ask him to tutor Jonny Evans and this will help the young Irishman a lot.

Gary Neville - Past his peak now but provides decent back-up to Wes Brown. When he is ready for retirement Rafael will be ready to step up.

John O'Shea - Not the greatest back-up but has a plus that he can play anywhere on the pitch including striker. Will provide back-up to Evra until Fabio is ready but you may want to think about buying a left-back anyway.

Rafael - A brilliant young defender who will turn into class right-back in 4-5 years. Give him chances in Carling Cup games so he gets some first team experienced and make sure Gary Neville tutors him through.

Nemanja Vidic - He & Ferdinand provide brilliant stability for United and as long as these two are together your team won't leak many goals. If you have the corner tactic make sure Vidic is in the six yard box.

Midfielder

Anderson - A brilliant, brilliant attacking midfielder on the game already and he only gets better. He gets goals a plenty and don't sell him unless you get a titanic offer.

Michael Carrick - Provided midfield stability and gets plenty of assists with the strikers running onto his through balls. Also capable of shooting from long range.

Darren Fletcher - Like real life, always does a job when called upon but Manchester City with a bid thats too good to turn down. It's up to you whether you sell him or keep him.

Darron Gibson - Sell as soon as possible, rarely gives good performances in my teams and if you offer to clubs offers come in by the bucketful.

Ryan Giggs - He might be getting on but whether you play him in the centre positions or out on the wing he will still give good performances along with goals & assists. A worthy free-kick taker aswell.

Owen Hargreaves - Not much to say here, injured for the season but when he comes back is a brilliant midfielder. I placed him over Ronaldo as free-kick taker and he scored plenty of them. Ended up as my third top scorer in the second season. Recieve plenty of offers but never accept.

Nani - Struggles to breakthrough straight away but when he gets a run will get lots of goals & assists. Like Anderson, he will turn into a star.

Park Ji-Sung - Never rated him on the game, does a half decent job like Fletcher but I usually accept offers when they come in for him.

Cristiano Ronaldo - You don't need me to tell you he's indespencable to the side. Goals, assists, free-kicks, penalties will get you through the season and probably get you a few multi-million pound offers for him.

Paul Scholes - Like Giggs will do a great job in the midfield but i've found right from the start Anderson does a better job and maybe leave Scholes for the odd game now and again.

Striker

Dimitar Berbatov - A new player to the squad and will get goals but it's 50-50 who will get more out of him and Tevez. Played alongside Rooney will bring the best out of him.

Manucho - The Angolan striker doesn't get many chances and when he does doesn't score many goals. Not many clubs offer for him so he's usually left rotting in the reserves.

Wayne Rooney - Usually ends up as top scorer in the squad and plays well alongside either Tevez or Berbatov. Can play behind the strikers or up top but either way will give you performances.

Carlos Tevez - Struggles to get in the team but when he does will score just as many as Berbatov. It's your choice who to play alongside Rooney, personally overall I would recommend Tevez.

Danny Welbeck - Doesn't quite make the breakthrough and will probably be better off being loaned out and trying to look into selling him permanently. Will get a goal here and there but not United quality.

Recommended Line-Up

Use the 4-3-1-2 formation

Van Der Sar

Brown Ferdinand Vidic Evra

Carrick

Scholes Anderson

Ronaldo --------- Rooney

Berbatov

Player/Staff Recommendations

Staff Credit goes to davidbowie

Like alot of managers these days, once you join a club, you need to sort out the backroom staff. Whilst in real life United have one of the best coaching staff in the world, in-game there are areas sadly lacking.

You have alot, but most of them simply are not that good:

Clearing out the Backroom:

Recommended Transfers In

Marcelo - 6m-10m - Real Madrid
Carlos Kameni - 7m-12m - Espanyol

Recommended Transfers Out

Ben Foster - 4m
Darren Fletcher - 6m-10m
Lee Martin - 2m
Fraizer Campbell - 5m
Park Ji-Sung - 6m
Darron Gibson - 1m-2m

That is the FM 2009 Team Guide: Manchester United, Hope this information can help you to manage Manchester United team in Football Manager 2009.