The F.A. Premier League Manager 2002 (PC CD)

CM 01/02 is the more complicated and difficult of the two. It is also the most interesting to play but extremely difficult if you try to start in the depths of the Conference league to build your reputation (as a real manager pays his dues). The lack of graphics is a drawback because everyone wants to watch the fruits of their labours but this is by far the most intensive and realistic - and therefore more difficult/frustrating manager games as every detail counts. Read the manual, be patient, and hire good staff! It really helps. Overall a great and time consuming game but definitely challenging and worth the money.

EA FAPLManager 2002 is the visually stimulating and more entertaining to play if you want an easier road to the top. You can start at the bottom and move up if you build slowly and are patient. Easier user interface and quicker game play. *Turn off your virus checkers or it will crash. Upside is that you can build monster stadiums, score many goals, win cups, and take a small team up. Downside is more frequent crashes, no new staff, strange new players on your roster from time to time, and if you get sacked you must start from the beginning.

If you want the game that is absolutely realistic, detailed, and takes a long time to play out even one season then CM 01/02 is for you.

If you want the game that you can hammer out two seasons in an afternoon and that is easy, fun, and visually stimulating then FAPLManager 2002 is for you.

Or you could just buy them both and when you get frustrated of are looking for a new challenge you can switch...

Both are worth the time and money! Enjoy!

The Management itself is pretty much complete. You can deal with the economic side of management e.g. hiring staff such as doctors and coaches. You can improve your club's stadium, control ticket prices and renew contracts. You can also create new facilities such as shops and medical/training centres outside the ground. You can also install maintenance facilities such as pitch covers and undersoil heating.

On the actual football side of the management it is also excellent. The ratings system is excellent and easy to understand. The transfer system is up to date and reasonably realistic. You can also assign both team orders and best of all individual orders (e.g. Roberto Carlos = Long Shot). The training system is also improved from the previous version as it is more detailed. Despite its detail it is also easy to use.

The 3D match engine is what places it head and shoulders above Champ Manager. Considering this is only a Football Management game it is extremely detailed. The stadiums are all realistic and packed with colour and detail. The players also look realistic and like their real-life counterparts as well. The AI is so much improved from the previous version and is brilliant considering this is only a management game.

Another useful feature is the Database Editor. One of the previous views is wrong when it is sceptical about the database being up-to-date. There are only a few mistakes and they can be changed by using the database editor. You can change the players clubs and update their appearances and ratings.