Football Manager 2023: The best teams to manage

Last Updated: July 28th, 2022

Football Manager 2023 is set to come out in November, and I don’t know about you but I’m already excited about the possibilities for the next instalment of the sports sim. 

Football Manager is more in depth than other games and Football Manager 2023 will be no different, it’s the most in-depth career mode in a football game and the possibilities are almost endless. 

Read More: Best wonderkids in FM 23

The types of stories it produces are so unique and they’ll have you on the edge of your seat, giggling at the possibilities of what’s happening before your eyes. 

I once had Mark Noble become my assistant, and then go on to have a much better career than I did. That is just part of the charm of what Football Manager has to offer. 

Below are who we think would make for great saves on Football Manager 2023, that will offer a challenge for all types of players.

Newcastle United (England: Premier League)

This will probably be the easiest save on the list. Not because they have the best squad, but they do have near infinite resources. If you’re relatively new to Football Manager, or you just want to have a bit of fun, this is the save for you. 

There are very few players at the club that you need to worry about, you can shift them all over-time and you’ll be fine. It is as close to a blank canvas in Football Manager as you can get. So any formation you wanna try, is pretty much on the cards.

On top of that they have known Football Manager nuisance Callum Wilson, who just bags goals for fun on Football Manager and always has.

The few players you have got of value too, are still young enough where they can offer you their best. By the time Football Manager 23 releases as well, they should have even more signings and a stronger spine. 

Bordeaux (France: Ligue 2)

It was a huge shame to see Bordeaux get relegated to the second division of French football, they had been a constant for the last thirty years before their relegation and they will be missed. 

Your challenge would first get them back to the top division, after that you need to aim for the European places. It’s not the easiest save, but there is plenty of potential with this historic club, who still have some solid players since their relegation. 

The only issue with managing in France is PSG, you can get Bordeaux up, you may even be able to get them into Europe, but challenging for the title won’t be easy. It’s near impossible to compete with PSG financially, so you will need some very shrewd business to even compete with them.

Inter Miami (USA: MLS)

We go across the pond for our next team with David Beckham’s Inter Miami. As it stands they’re being managed, quite poorly, by everyone’s least favourite Neville, Phil. 

Phizza as I have affectionately begun to call him, is not doing the best job of propelling Inter Miami out of their infancy and into the big time. You may need to have a bit of a sort out, due to some of the rogue signings they have made in recent years before you can really begin to build. 

If you’re a fan of European football as well, this will be a big challenge as you learn the intricacies of the MLS and how the league is structured. This is a decent challenge, but you can’t be relegated so you don’t have too much to lose. 

Can you turn Inter Miami into a serious club and really start competing for silverware? 

Bologna F.C. 1909 (Italy: Serie A)

There has been a bit of a power shift in the last couple of seasons in Italy, with Juventus not winning the league for the last two years running. The vacuum has been filled by both Milan clubs so far, and it’s difficult to see Juventus winning it next year either. 

This power shift has meant the league is a little more open than in previous years. I’m not saying Bologna are the team to fill that void, especially not in your first season. However, Bologna were one of the most successful Italian teams during the early 20th century, it would be fitting to get them back up there. 

They have begun to consolidate that they’re a genuine top flight side, now it is time for them to kick on and start looking up the table. 

There are also some really good youngsters to build upon too, Theate at Centre-back is a genuine asset at the back. While Wisdom Amey isn’t quite ready for the first team but has the potential to become a monster in the game.

Something to consider too, is the restrictions you have in Italy, you can only sign a limited number of non european players a year. Meaning, you can just sign all the incredible wonderkids from South America, so you will have to be a bit disciplined. 

FC Kaiserslautern (Germany: 2. Bundesliga)

Will be found on nearly every list for what team to choose, and for good reason. They are one of Europe’s fallen giants and a team with an incredible history.

They have just been promoted to the German Second Division, and next on their journey will be back to the top division.

FC Kaiserslautern, won’t be for the faint hearted, but maybe one more for the Football Manager die-hards. They won’t have a lot of money, and need to strengthen if they are to survive.

Yet, your goal is to try and get them back to where they belong, after a long period of missing because of their financial problems.