In many ways The Manager was typical German soccer manager - the player skills were described by a single value, the additional fitness and form parameters were used to modify the skill, the stadium options and sponsorship were important parts of the game, etc. But there was one thing that made this game a classic - the way the match events were presented. Of course there were before games that shown goal attempts in form of animations, but creators of The Manager came up with complexed animations that had multiple endings, some of which suggested that one side will have the chance, but suddenly it switches into counter-attack.
The lack of in-depth player parameters, individual statistics or reports the game would be just one of many, but the atmosphere built around the animations in match events and interesting additional management options made this game a classic. You were able to improve the stadium, set ticket prices, deal with the transfer offers, extend player contracts, send the team on training camps, sign the sponsorship deals, play in the international competitions. Also there was a very flexible tactics editor that allowed to build any formation you can think of.
A classic game that made a huge impact in Germany and later with English version of the game. It was simple, it was easy to learn, it lacked data, but the match engine and additional options made it stand out of the competition.
The Manager gameplay video
