The Bundesliga became the first major European league to restart since the Coronavirus outbreak. In the three weeks since its return we’ve been entertained with plenty of high-scoring games and tense clashes at both ends of the table.

The Bundesliga is a fantastic league to start a save in Football Manager as well. For a start, it’s fully licensed - no silhouettes on the team line-ups screen here - and each of the 18 teams in the league has a fully fleshed out, unique identity. Over the coming days we’re going to showcase six Bundesliga outfits that offer the best short and long-term challenges for you to get stuck into in FM20.

We kick things off with a trip to the capital to take a closer look at Hertha Berlin.
 

Have you ever wondered where the player attributes, club data and stadium information in Football Manager come from? We are assisted by more than 1,000 researchers across the world who help put our database together but that wasn’t always the case. The research team started out quite small in the mid-1990s but has expanded almost exponentially since then. 

Our researchers are fans of the series, just like us, and many of them took on their roles because they were passionate about their clubs, domestic leagues and national football setups and they wanted to ensure they were represented accurately in the game. 

Indeed, many of those who have worked as researchers for Football Manager have moved into jobs in the footballing world as a result of their knowledge and commitment, so it can be a pathway to the job of your dreams. 

Oliver Zesiger is our Swiss head researcher and he has been involved with FM for more than a decade. 
 

Our newest instalment of Why I Love FM is with the West Bromwich Albion and St Kitts & Nevis midfielder Romaine Sawyers. Romaine was recently in charge of the Baggies in the EFL Football Manager Cup and while he didn’t win, we still wanted to chat to him about that experience, when he first got into the game and some of his best saves…

A throw-in is not all that different from a free kick or a corner; it’s a set-piece that you can train and prepare multiple routines for. There is one major difference, though: while corners and free-kicks are aspects of the game that are coached rigorously from a young age, throw-ins are often neglected. This is madness as, on average, football teams get to take and defend around 50 throw-ins per game. That is a colossal figure, far too big just to ignore. The good news is, though, that (like all set-pieces) throw-ins can be improved upon both in terms of technique and positioning.

By @MerryGuido 

That special buzz in the air. The big pre-match build-up. There’s nothing quite like a Football Manager cup final.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro with a trophy cabinet bursting at the seams or a managerial novice, cup final days always feel exceptional. It’s difficult to treat a cup final as ‘just another game’ and we don’t think you should. Treat it for what it is… a day to remember. Here are the six things you need to do to get fixed up and looking sharp for your cup final.
 

If you’re like me and usually take some time before hitting ‘Continue’ after starting a new save, then you more than likely have Day One of Football Manager nailed down by now. A combination of attempted perfectionism and general new save obsession means that days can pass before I reach our first league game… and I’m completely ok with that.

However, if you’re not as inclined to spend hours deciding which U18 Physios and set piece routines you will need in your first season, or you’re a newcomer to the series, it’s important to remember that Day One in FM can be critical in ensuring you get the right things done from the very beginning. It’s valuable time where you can avoid being slow off the mark when it comes to sorting your team, tactics, recruitment and financial situation before hitting ‘Save’ for the first time.

Here are 10 essentials that every player should remember when starting a new save in Football Manager. 

We all see player attributes, club data and stadium information in Football Manager, but where does it come from? We are assisted by more than 1,000 researchers across the world who help put our database together but that wasn’t always the case. The research team started out quite small in the mid-1990s but it has expanded almost exponentially since then. 

Hours are spent watching players in action in order to collect data for individuals, teams, or, in some cases, entire countries. A lot of work goes into putting our industry-leading database together – it involves much more than just a few people sitting in SI towers, entering numbers into spreadsheets. Many of those who have worked as researchers for Football Manager have moved into jobs in the footballing world as a result of their knowledge and commitment, so it can be a pathway to the job of your dreams. 
 

The latest edition of Why I Love FM features a chat with Darren Bent. The ex-England international retired in 2018 to pursue a career in the media where he can often be heard on the airwaves. Recently, Darren was spilling the beans on his Football Manager 2020 save, so we wanted to hear more about his current game and his best ever signing...

We all see player attributes, club data and stadium information in Football Manager, but where does it come from? We're assisted by more than 1,000 researchers across the world who help put our database together and over the course of this new series we will introduce you to a few of the people who play such an important role in making the game what it is.

Our researchers are fans of the series, just like us, and many of them took on their roles because they were passionate about their clubs, domestic leagues and national football setups and they wanted to ensure they were represented accurately in the game. 

We had the pleasure to e-interview Bleacher Report Football's Sam Tighe - Journalist, Podcast Host and Football Manager enthusiast.

It's fair to say that Sam knows a thing or two about football and we'd like to take credit for some of that knowledge since he's spent many hours researching through FM player profiles...

Sam's answers to this edition of Why I Love FM are up there with the most detailed, passionate and entertaining, enjoy. 

Football Manager 2020 comes in all shapes and sizes. The desktop game is available on PC, Mac and Google Stadia, while we also produce Football Manager Touch for PC, Mac, Android, iOS and Nintendo Switch and Football Manager Mobile is available on Android and iOS.

The international break and fan disappointment go together like tea and scones. Or Batman & Robin. Or thunder & lightning. Or your assistant manager and the words “We should encourage our players to try a more direct passing play”. You get our drift. Fans get disappointed as most international periods mark a break from the constant stream of club football and international friendlies often feel meaningless.