Amaroq - your aside point is very true - the game needs more feedback from the AM to say 'oy you prat this is wrong, that tactic won't work, are you sure we're getting the best out of so and so, they're unhappy because ..' to reveal some of the less obvious workings of the game.
Also the point about pressure etc is well made - this should be something that begins to show up and should be known about players I feel after a while - ie. Keegan as a manager lost it, certain players are better when they are /are not 'the main man' at a club etc. Owen for England (ignoring injuries) WILL score you important goals, the jury is still out on Rooney in such circumstances (
imo).
Wbabaggie - Think you're right too - i'm fitting into the 'game no longer for me' category I think. I dOn't want to watch the match engine for hours, don't want to have to constantly tweak things. To a certain extent I believe you shouldn't need to apart from at half time and when closing out a game. Perhaps there should be a tick box for a 'close up the shop' shout from the sidelines and similar things, where the players and their initiative enact it on the pitch rather than the not-too-real sudden change of instructions and formation. This i feel would more reflect the hands-off nature of sideline interaction.