A new Reddit discussion is sparking debate among Football Manager 26 players over whether starting unemployed with no coaching badges has become too easy.
In the thread, one longtime player (who goes by the name FluffyCoconut) detailed an unemployed, no-badges save that quickly escalated from lower-tier South American football to winning league titles across Europe. Despite being rejected by several smaller European clubs early on, the user was hired by Chilean second-division side Santiago Wanderers, where immediate over-achievement set the tone for the rest of the save.
After promotion and multiple domestic cup finals in Chile, the player moved to Lanús in Argentina, winning consecutive league titles. From there, the climb accelerated even further when Lille — a top team in France’s Ligue 1 — offered them a job. Predictably, multiple league titles followed, including a Champions League semi-final appearance. After that, they took their talents to Chelsea, where they won the Premier League title in their very first season, despite not making a single transfer.
By the early 2030s, the save path included league titles in Argentina, France, and England — all from an unemployed, no-badges start. The player noted that their manager attributes and badges progressed extremely quickly, making the save feel less like a long-term journeyman challenge and more like a traditional elite-club run.
“I was expecting to struggle a lot more,” the player wrote, adding that it felt unrealistic to receive top-club offers so quickly without experiencing sackings or prolonged struggles in smaller leagues.
Why Unemployed, No-Badge Saves Aren’t Great In Football Manager 26
Obviously, Coconut’s experience seems quite easy on the surface. And I hate to come off as some apologist, especially considering this is supposed to be the most challenging of any traditional Football Manager save concept. That said, I feel there is some context that is missing from this.
With some exceptions, most football coaches don’t receive a manager job as their first gig. Typically, in real life, aspiring managers who are still working on their qualifications and receiving their required licenses serve in smaller roles within a club, such as set-piece coach or performance/data analyst. And oftentimes, these roles aren’t even with the first team, but are instead with youth/reserve squads.
However, Football Manager doesn’t allow you to serve in any such role. The closest thing to “working your way up” the series provides is allowing you to manage a reserve or amateur club. Because let’s be honest — being a set-piece or fitness coach would be really boring. As immersive as it is, FM often omits the various levels aspiring managers must experience before ever being considered for a somewhat reputable job.
It’s called Football Manager. Not Football Manager Career Simulator.
How To Make Unemployed Saves Better In Football Manager 26
Love it or hate it, career progression is what is in Football Manager 26 (and the series as a whole). But there are ways to make experiences better that make progression feel somewhat incremental.
As the top comment in the aforementioned Reddit thread suggests, the trick is to impose restrictions on what you can and can’t do in unemployed saves. Here are those restrictions listed:
- Coaching badges: Starting with no badges, coaching courses can only be requested every three years (reduced to every two years after winning a league, cup, or major honor). If a request is rejected, another request may only be made after six months.
- Job applications: Applications are limited to clubs up to 0.5 stars above current reputation. For example, with a 0.5-star reputation, applications are allowed for clubs rated up to 1.0 stars.
- Delegating responsibilities: Most responsibilities are delegated to staff early on. Control is gradually earned through time at the club or on-field success. For example, during the first season all transfers are handled by the Director of Football; after one season, control may increase to up to 50% of transfers, and so on.
- Transfers: Players may only be signed once they are fully scouted. No direct player searching is allowed.
- Staff hiring: Staff may only be hired by placing adverts, with no direct approaches allowed.
Placing restrictions on yourself isn’t a foreign concept in sports gaming — almost every Franchise mode enthusiast employs them due to video games often breaking progression fairly quickly. So, if you’re struggling with your immersion, try these out and see how things go!
