Real Football: Manager Edition

Many of us still harbour dreams of being spotted playing for our local pub teams on a Sunday morning, and being thrust into the starting line-up for a local derby against our biggest rivals. But as you hit your early 30s, and your beer gut hangs quite impressively over your jeans, you have to admit the opportunity might have passed.

Which might explain the popularity of football management titles. Look how many chubby managers hang around the top leagues, after all. On paper, however, a game that looks much like a slightly colourful spreadsheet and doesn't even allow you to control things out on the pitch, seems about as exciting as a lifetime of accounting.

But Real Football: Manager Edition – shockingly, a managerial spin-off of the sublime Real Football 2008 – not only proves that this brand of gaming genius can offer up a tonne of excitement, but even be more exciting than forcing your overpaid winger to cut inside and lash a left foot strike right into the top corner of the old onion bag.

After an ample loading screen to initiate the game, you're prompted to enter all your details, including your own specific style of management. If you fancy being a Jose Mourinho-style media magnet, then simply choose that particular brand, and away you go. Alternatively, if you're a typical shouty lower league Yorkshireman who prefers to just repeatedly scream "Get yer bloody foot in!" over and over again, then there's even a slot for you.

It's not just the Premier League that gets to sample your managerial greatness. The top two leagues from England, Italy, Spain, France, and Germany are all available to choose, meaning if you feel like a change from the drudgery of cold wet balls slapping your thigh during the good old English winter, you and your genius can scarper to the south of France.

Sadly, lack of licences means that teams don't always have their correct names. Arsenal, for example, are simply called 'London'. Still, player names are almost always spot on, which certainly helps as you scour the transfer market to find that one signing who can turn your season around, and get the fans off your back.

However, player stats are a different matter. Those of the 'big boys' may be absolutely right on the money, but drop down a division and the quality stars to waver. Expect to find some players who are designated to wrong positions, or the star winger whose name adorns the back of your shirt in real life to be rated statistically akin to a pile of rubbish.

On to business, then, and after taking control of your favourite club the board will lay out their expectations for you to hit in the coming season, along with the kind of cash you'll be given to achieve those lofty targets. Where Man Utd and Chelsea might crave winning almost every competition you enter, Derby will be happy with you simply avoiding relegation and having a bit of a run in one of the cups, resulting in a different style of game for every squad you take control of.

And it should be noted everything is under your control. The hiring and firing of staff, the signing of over-paid foreign journeymen that will destroy your squad's morale, and the selling of your fan-favourite for half his current worth because he dared disagree that a stint in goal might be perfect for him… you make the decisions and must live by them.

Once on the pitch itself, you still have a wealth of options to consider. You can tweak your team's attacking/defending disposition at will, so you can urge them on for that killer second goal just before half-time if you're feeling like taking a few risks. A quick prod of '*' changes your view, too, meaning you can flick between the 3D view of the pitch, a 2D top-down overview, and a rundown of the game stats at will.

As it's based on the Real Football engine, there's little surprise to find Real Football: Manager Edition plays a good game. Alright, odd instances of dodgy AI make unwanted appearances, mostly characterised by some pathetic man-marking that'll leave you tearing your hair out in frustration.

But hey, that's the life of the football manager we're afraid. Besides, you can have a good old shout at them at half time if they deserve a bit of the old hairdryer treatment.

At the end of the day, Real Football: Manager Edition is a stunning companion for Real Football 2008. If you're a little tired of working your fingers on the pitch, having the chance to manage your charges and win the trophies proves to be equally as enthralling. Mobile sports game fans, get it bought.

Real Football: Manager Edition

Football management might not sound too exciting on paper, but this stunner from Gameloft proves that sitting on the sidelines can be just as exciting as taking your place on the pitch
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