Including over 275,000 players and staff, and 5,000 playable teams from 50 countries, Football Manager 2006 has arrived.

As expected, the interface has been given an overhaul. Newcomers will find the huge array of options overwhelming, but the beauty of Football Manager is that you don’t have to put all the in-depth strategy tools to use from the start.

As you progress, you’ll soon want to start tinkering with tactics and being more selective over your backroom staff. Sports Interactive, the game’s developer, has also taken time to make the database more efficient.

Starting a new game in Football Manager 2005 could take anything up to 15 minutes, but now it takes no more than a couple of minutes.

In-game processing has also been given a shot in the arm. A new range of features improves an already impressive simulator. Should your team be underperforming, you can administer a scathing team talk during the half-time interval.

If one player is putting in a particularly shocking display, it’s possible to single him out as the scapegoat. How each player reacts to your comments will vary – some will decide to earn their corn, others will be in touch with their agents.

Other improvements include the option of bar charts instead of numbers for players’ stats and the ability to counsel unhappy team members. You can also negotiate your salary and wage budgets with the board.There are a few irritations. Contract negotiations could be more realistic and you’re stuck with a restrictive set of reasons when you want to discipline a player, but there’s little else to criticise.

Having been around for years in the form of Championship Manager (Eidos now owns the rights), it’s the most comprehensive football management simulation money can buy.

System Requirements:
2GHz processor
256MB Ram
8x CD-Rom
Windows XP SP2