One of the newest features in Championship Manager 00/01 is the media interaction. Tthe main objective of this section is to tell you how to handle the media and what to say to build a "rapport" with the board and fans, which will give you a better idea of how to handle club affairs.
Media praises a certain player in your squad (i.e. "Kluivert a world class talent")
In such a situation as this one it is always advisable to "build up praise", as this comment will give you a good rapport with all concerned. (board, players, fans)
The other option is for you to say "no comment" this will not generate any publicity to you or your team and will keep you in everybody's good books.
If you do choose to play the wild card and play down the praise then you are running the risk of the player becoming unhappy and saying "he doesn't feel he has any support from his manager". It can also have the opposite effect if you do use this option then you will motivate the certain player more and his performances will improve dramatically.
Media criticises a certain player in your squad (i.e. "Colonnese accused of complacency")
This one is particularly hard because if you are annoyed with a certain player for his below par performances then you maybe inclined to criticise your player but that is never the best option as it could upset your players.
It is best to choose the "no comment" option then you are not saying either bad or good and it is essentially the same as the question not happening and you can continue with your managerial career.
If you do decide to stand by your player and defend him then you are choosing the best option possible. Although you may not believe that the player is worthy of being defended, you will keep your board, fans and most important of all the players.
Media praises your team (i.e. Manchester United march on)
This one is a really easy one to handle it's obvious that you should always "build up praise" because this will improve squad morale and both your board and your fans will be please with your optimism.
The "no comment" option, like always is taking the easy way out and acting like the media have never asked you the question.
Not always advisable though as the team may not believe that you have faith in they're ability.
Any good manager will tell you that your being a little stupid if you choose this option as it will diminish all morale within the squad and you will receive comments such as "fans leap to the defence of team".
You will also get a reputation as an un-loyal manager and it will be hard to motivate your team for the duration of that season.
Media criticises your team (i.e. "Bradford's slump continues")Another one of the critical one's, like the previous one's can be a little confusing if you think that your team's performances have been below par. The best thing here is to say "no comment" IF your team has been performing extremely badly in your opinion.
If you opt to "defend your team" you could very well be choosing the write option it may motivate your players to give better performances in the up and coming matches. On the other hand it could have the opposite effect and make the players think that there performances have been good enough and you poor run will continue to get worse and worse.
If you decide to criticise your team then you will probably find your job become "slightly insecure" your board and your fans will become unhappy with your lack of faith in your squad's ability. On the other hand you may motivate your squad more and they will accept that their performances have been below par. You may well see a drastic improvement in your squad's performances.
The following only applies to international team managers:
Your team is tipped for glory (i.e. "Spain tipped to win World Cup")
This one is a relatively easy one to work out. If you're the sort of manager who has faith in his team then you should build up praise and say, "we can conquer all". This will generate a good feeling throughout the squad and morale will rise considerably.
The "no comment" (aka. cop out) option is the option you choose when you either don't know what answer would be best for your squad or you just don't want to answer the question. Take note English managers.
The last option is to play down the praise, this option is always a bad one but especially in this case as it will show a distinct lack of optimism on your behalf and will also show that you don't have any faith in your players ability. The F.A will get on your back if you choose this option.
Youth development
The key to success in Championship Manager 00/01 is taking care of your club�s youth system. When developing the young players at your club, the first step you must be take if you want your players to have the biggest chance of developing is to invest in your training facilities. Depending on which club you are managing the quality of it will vary. Go to your Team�s Screen by clicking <Your Name> + <Team Name>.
Once there go to the Finances and Info screen. In General Info you will find the quality of your Training Ground. The aim is to have Top Training Facilities and Youth Academy. If the standard of your training facilties and youth academy are below that, go and ask your chairman if you can invest some money in them. You should ask this at the end of the season because they can�t build one during the season. The price of this is normally between 2-3 million pounds. Once your trainng facilities have been improved, so will your clubs reputation. But be warned, the money for this will have been taken straight from your bank account, so make sure you have more than enough money to begin with. One of the main advantages of having good facilities is that you can attract better quality coaches, who in turn will develop your youngsters into better quality players. The coaches are with the players most of the time and must be up to the standards. Go to the Player/Staff Search Screen and Select Staff search. Click on Filters. You are looking for Coaches that are Interested. After you have filled that in go to the Attributes screen and fill in these attributes:
Coaching Goalkeepers: 15
Coaching Outfield Players: 15
Working with Youngsters: 15
Motivating: 15
Tactical Knowledge: 15
These attributes are set for middle clubs. If you find that you cannot find any one interested with these stats, just lower the stats a little and search again.It is vital that your coaches have good scouting ability as well as coaching attributes because using the Request Coach Report you can quickly get an overview of what the coach thinks of the players. Especially useful with young players.
Once you have found one or two promising youngsters your next step is to slowly introduce them into the first team squad.
20 minutes per match can make a big difference. They need to get the experience of playing at a higher level. The perfect opportunity to give them a chance in the First team is Cup Matches; especially the games again lower league teams.
Be sure to keep their contracts up to date so that they will not be snapped up by other clubs on the Bosman rule.
