Category: Featured
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Barack Obama and the 2008 Euros
The 21st of June 1964, a balmy evening in the Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid. Marcelino pops up with a goal in the 84th minute to break Soviet Union hearts, and to ultimately give Spain their first major trophy; the European Nations’ Cup. It was reckoned at the time that this would be the first of many…
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FM20 Challenges: (5) Supporter Ownership, Phoenix Clubs and Academies
If the global covid-19 pandemic has shown anything about the sport we love, it is how important the role of clubs are in the lives of fans, and vice versa. Empty stands are just not the same; clubs that rely on matchday income are gasping for breath; even the extraordinary sub-culture of esoteric random that…
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FM20 Challenges: (4) Financial & stadium issues
Project Restart is now in full swing as the Premier League is set to return on 17 June, while the Danish Superliga is the latest to resume action with AGF vs Randers FC tonight. One common theme of concern among clubs of almost all levels and leagues has been the financial impact the lockdown will…
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FM20 Challenges: (3) Fallen Giants
As leagues across Europe tentatively edge back towards action, fans are likely to be a notable absence from games for quite some time yet. Empty stands filled with little more than artificial crowd noise and advertising boards cast an eerie disconnected atmosphere. It may well take some time before football as we know it returns…
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FM20 Challenges: (2) Extraordinary geographical and script-busting tasks
Bit by bit football edges back to normality. The Bundesliga has exploded with goals, while the Italian and Spanish associations are looking to return to top-flight action within the next three weeks. On the other hand, leagues in Scotland, the Netherlands and Belgium have already been prematurely ended. To help you cope we have prepared…
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FM2020 Challenges: (1) Capital city, dominance-breaking and through-the-leagues
After more than two months without football due to global covid-19 pandemic, we at Heart of Football share the frustrations of millions longing for its return. To satisfy your footballing fix during the suspension, why not engage yourself in Football Manager 2020? We’ve decided to break down a series of challenges into bite-size chunks to…
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Matchdays: Pyongyang
By Rishi Chowdhury 4pm, 08 October 2015 – Kim Il Sung Stadium – Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea One hour in North Korea (DPRK) and I’m outside the Kim Il Sung Stadium, being handed a ticket to watch a 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier between North Korea and Philippines. Earlier that day in Beijing…
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CM/FM Legends: Will the real Mark Kerr please stand up?
Determination – 20 Off the ball – 20 Teamwork – 20 Work rate – 19 Technique – 18 Stamina – 18 Preferred foot – either These are not merely stats, these are blueprints to a world-class midfielder; the type of player who, once signed, would be the first name on the team sheet. Think Kevin…
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An Introduction to UK Academy Football
Youth academies. Anyone who’s played Football Manager will know how important they are in guiding your wonderkids towards a first team place. Improving the facilities, bringing in the greatest minds in terms of coaching and analysis, all of it has an influence when attempting to reduce the impact of the transition from youth football to…
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Interview: Momo Yansane – the world’s new favourite centre forward
Humans have an innate ability to find an interest in things to keep themselves occupied, and to some extent, happy even during the direst of circumstances. Different people find different ways to keep their hopes alive and keep themselves engaged during times of duress. Football fans are no exception, and during this period where the…
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