BEST FOOTBALL MANAGER 2022 TEAMS & SAVE IDEAS
OUR RECOMMENDED, YOUTH-CENTRIC SAVES
We cover youth football and we love Football Manager. We’ve combined both to compile a list of interesting save ideas on Football Manager 2022, from Ecuador to England and beyond. If you like developing young players, these are clubs that will be right up your street.
OUR LISTS OF THE BEST YOUNG TALENTS
WATCH: 5 young players you should sign in FM22
LAST UPDATED: DECEMBER 20, 2021
IF BROMMAPOJKARNA
WHY IF BROMMAPOJKARNA?
Because they’re a relatively small club with a big footprint in Swedish football. Establish them in the top flight while adhering to an academy-first policy
DIVISION
Ettan Norra (3rd tier)
REPUTATION
ESTABLISHED
1942
FINANCES
Secure
YOUTH FACILITIES
YOUTH COACHING
YOUTH RECRUITMENT
THE CLUB
Based in a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden’s capital, IF Brommapojkarna are a relatively small club that have great relevance in the country’s football structure. Despite bouncing between divisions almost every season, BP maintain a strong influence on top-level football through their exceptional youth academy.
Notable products include Dejan Kulusevski, Ludwing Augustinsson, John Guidetti, Albin Ekdal, Carl Starfeldt, Viktor Gyökeres, and countless other players that have since gone on to play for big clubs in the biggest leagues.
THE CHALLENGE
Usually a club that yo-yos between the first and second division, BP have slumped into the third division twice in the past decade. Your first objective will be to utilise a strong squad (relative to the league’s level) and comfortably top the Ettan Norra.
After that, it’s about building BP back up to the Allsvenskan – and keeping them there – while adhering to the academy-first policy. Make the most of the youth system to generate exciting talent and substantial profits, which you can then use to develop the club’s decent infrastructure. Once you’ve done that, it’s up to you to determine the next step – you can try to topple the established giants, like Malmö and AIK, or move on to further your individual career elsewhere. BP is a great save to start a realistic coaching career.
DEPORTIVO LA CORUÑA
WHY DEPORTIVO LA CORUÑA?
Because they’re a genuine fallen giant, a club that could – and should – be competing at the higher ends of La Liga. You can (help) bring back the glory years.
DIVISION
Primer División RFEF (3rd tier)
REPUTATION
ESTABLISHED
1906
FINANCES
Secure
YOUTH FACILITIES
YOUTH COACHING
YOUTH RECRUITMENT
THE CLUB
Everyone should have heard of Deportivo La Coruña. To a certain generation of football follower, they’re one of the biggest clubs in Spanish football. Since winning La Liga in 2000, Dépor have endured a slow, excruciating downward slide.
They’ve now dropped as far as the third tier of the Spanish league system, where they’ve never been before. But they have a good base to build back up off – a proud city, strong fanbase, big stadium, and productive academy. Their current crop of home-grown players have the potential to drive Dépor back up the divisions.
THE CHALLENGE
Dépor offer a relatively rare opportunity to revive a very big club back to their true standing, similar to the challenges presented by Leeds United and 1. FC Kaiserslautern in previous years. You can do so by priotising youth as well.
There are a number of young players already at the club that can be counted upon to a play significant number of first-team minutes. Building around them early should be a priority as they have the potential to power promotions, either with their performances or through their sales.
DERBY COUNTY
WHY DERBY COUNTY?
Because you’re faced with a practically impossile task in keeping them in the Championship. If you don’t achieve it, all is not lost – build back up through youth
DIVISION
EFL Championship (2nd tier)
REPUTATION
ESTABLISHED
1884
FINANCES
In administration
YOUTH FACILITIES
YOUTH COACHING
YOUTH RECRUITMENT
THE CLUB
Derby County are in a terrible situation. Having gambled on promotion to the Premier League that didn’t come, those in charge ran up huge debts against the club’s name as they grew increasingly desperate. Their actions yielded dramatic consequences: a transfer embargo was placed upon them, they were deducted 21 points ahead of the current season, and now they’re in administration.
But there is a silver lining, and that comes in the form of their impressive core of home-grown players. Derby’s academy has been impressive productive over the past 3-5 years.
THE CHALLENGE
The challenge is an obvious one but it almost certainly comes in two stages. The first is practically impossible: keep the club in the Championship, making up a huge 21-point deficit to do so. If you don’t achieve that, don’t worry – dropping down a division enables you to hit the reset button and lean even more on the young players at your disposal.
You may have to sell a couple of the more estbalished talents, like Max Bird and Jason Knight, but there will be others ready to assume more responsibility, not least Louie Sibley. There’s huge potential there to power back-to-back promotions with a young, fresh, exciting home-grown squad.
INDEPENDIENTE DEL VALLE
WHY INDEPENDIENTE DEL VALLE?
Because they’re the new kids on the block, catching the eye with a progressive style and youthful model – dominate Ecuador and take over the Americas
DIVISION
Ecuador Serie A (1st tier)
REPUTATION
ESTABLISHED
1958
FINANCES
Secure
YOUTH FACILITIES
YOUTH COACHING
YOUTH RECRUITMENT
THE CLUB
Ecuador has four historically major clubs: Barcelona SC, CS Emelec, El Nacional and LDU Quito. There’s an up-and-coming club that are beginning to break into that group, at least in the immediate term. They may have only won their first top-flight title in 2021, but Independiente del Valle have been relevant for some time.
Their youth academy has produced a number of senior Ecuador internationals, from Carlos Gruezo and Cristian Ramírez to Moisés Caicedo and Piero Hincapié.
THE CHALLENGE
A save wih Independiente del Valle will have two principle objectives rolled into one: develop the club using it’s excellent academy. Producing move Caicedos and Hincapiés will not only yield success on the pitch and profits on the sheets, it will also help Ecuador improve their standing in South American and worldfootball.. That is especially crucial in FM22 with the dynamic youth ratings for nations.
If you can help the club kick on from their recent success, taking them to more league titles and pushing them to continental triumphs in the Copa Libertadores, you will go down in club folklore. You’ll also become a sought-after coach, whether it be by the big institutions of Argentina and Brazil or the clever clubs in Europe.
HOW DO YOU PICK A CLUB IN FOOTBALL MANAGER 2022?
Decide what you want to do in your save. Do you want to take a club from the lower levels to a Champions League final? Do you want to quickly become a dominant force in a league or nation? Do you want a realistic progression as a coach?
Also, determine what your philosophies are – do you want to sign the best players on the market or do you want to develop them yourself? Once you do that, you can then pick a club to fulfill your plans. The options are endless.
HOW DO YOU DEVELOP YOUR CLUB IN FOOTBALL MANAGER 2022?
It all depends on what level your club is at. You have a much stronger base if your club is at higher levels with bigger budgets. You have a greater ability to maximise your potential, even making mistakes and learning from them.
If you start from lower down, recruiting intelligently and selling at the right time is crucial. That’s even true for higher level clubs. Players sales is the single best way to generate funds to improve squads and infrastructure – make the most if it.
HOW DO YOU DEVELOP YOUR CLUB’S ACADEMY IN FOOTBALL MANAGER 2022?
You can develop your club’s academy by asking the board to allocate more funds to it. You can ask the key decision-makers to improve facilities, coaching and recruitment at youth level. They won’t always allow it, but keep trying.
Appointing competent staff is also key, especially a Head of Youth Development. Try to find someone with a great eye for talent, a professional personality, and wants to play football the same way you do.
HOW DO YOU DEVELOP YOUNG PLAYERS IN FOOTBALL MANAGER 2022?
As always, pathways are paramount. You have to make sure that your youngsters have access to meaningful minutes at the appropriate levels. If you have a first-team ready talent, phase him into the team gradually, during pre-season ideally.
If your prospect needs a bit more polishing, the loan system is a valuable tool. But pathways to senior level minutes are key. Assess your youngsters on a case-by-case basis, decide what they need, and enact your decision.
It’s all about summing up what you want from your save. Determine your principles – be it developing a club from the lower leagues, or dominating with an established elite team – and go from there. Think outside the box, too.
Everyone knows of the great academies, like Chelsea, Barcelona and Lyon, but there’s plenty more beyond that.
