Eidos have gone for a real TV approach with the awards section. Hurrah, one of my men is in ‘Team of the Week’

Few games have had such a profound effect on the social lives of young males as the Championship Manager series. Girlfriends were left feeling neglected and for what? A database.
Andy Ashwin

It wouldn’t be far wrong to describe Championship Manager 3 as a database – which is essentially exactly what it is. There have been no attempts to disguise this fact – no fancy graphics and no sound of note. Best of all there are none of the obligatory match highlights, designed to lure in the average gamer. This is hardcore football management for the purist.

If you were a fan of the first two games you have probably been waiting for the last two or so years for the third instalment. We’ve all speculated as to what new features will be in there and whether it could actually be any better than Championship Manager 2.

Well, after extensive playtesting Future Gamer is pleased to announce that it is better than the first two. With regard to the new features, check this little lot out:

The Leagues - Pick from any one of 15 leagues, or run any number at the same time. Running multiple leagues will enable you to move countries during your managerial career. Choose from Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Sweden.

Player Statistics - Broken up into 31 categories, from ‘acceleration’ through to ‘work rate’.

Training - Put your players through their paces with the fully customisable training schedule. Tailor a regime for each individual player.

Tactics - You can now take tactics to a much deeper level. The pitch is divided into 12 squares – click a square to specify the position of the ball and then tell each player where they should be in that situation. Do this twice – once for when you have possession and once for when your opponents have it. Additionally, right-clicking on a specific player enables you to give him unique instructions.