{"id":803,"date":"2018-09-07T15:01:34","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T15:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fmportugal.net\/?p=803"},"modified":"2026-09-22T09:38:54","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T09:38:54","slug":"vodu-the-special-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fmportugal.net\/en\/vodu-the-special-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Treinadores de Sof\u00e1 #5 Vodu, O “Special One” Portugu\u00eas, do Football Manager"},"content":{"rendered":"

We went to talk to the Portuguese Special One of Football Manager<\/em>, none other than Vodu, known for his devastating tactics, which have been helping guide our teams to glory for several years now.<\/em><\/p>\n

Vodu talks about how much the tactical side of the game interests him, the countless hours he spends looking for the perfect dynamics, how the evolution of the game's AI has made it harder to create consistent tactics, and advice for anyone looking to start creating their own tactics!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: At what age did you discover CM, and was it love at first sight?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: I discovered the CM series at 19, with CM 00\/01. And yes, it was love at first sight. Then with CM 01\/02 came the marriage, and it's lasted right up to today.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Did you focus on the tactical side of the game right away, or was that interest something you developed later?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: Yes, right from the start the tactical side of the game interested me far more. Whether in the game or in reality, that's where you can make the difference, even with some lack of quality. Between a good performance and an excellent one, sometimes it's just small details.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Nowadays you're the Portuguese tactics master, recognised internationally. When did you really feel you'd mastered that side of the game, when were you catapulted beyond the national scene, and what tactic was that?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: That 'master' label is relative. I'm not hypocritical enough to say it isn't a source of pride to be praised for the material and information I put out. But, like everything in life, it's easy to go from brilliant to useless in the blink of an eye. I always felt I had a handle on that side of the game, but of course over time you build up some experience.<\/p>\n

I started sharing tactics on FM2008, but it was on FM2012 that I probably had some international impact, sharing what was then called the 442 Vodu Chaos. Sometimes 5 minutes of inspiration beats hours of hard graft, and that was the case here.<\/p>\n

It was a very simple tactic, a classic 4-4-2, where the two strikers tried to get in behind the full-backs by making a diagonal run into space away from the centre-back. Pure and simple exploitation of depth.<\/p>\n

Since both banks of four played positionally, it drew the opposition's wide midfielders and full-backs into pressing vertically. Then it was just a matter of waiting for our team to thread the pass to a fast striker, whose typical move was to carry the ball and cross for the other striker, who'd usually arrive for an easy finish.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Vodu<\/a>
Vodu Caos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

FMPortugal.net: Did you try to adapt it in later versions, or did you start from scratch each time, chasing the perfect tactic?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: I know in advance that the developers<\/em>, in this case Sports Interactive<\/em>, are always on the lookout for possible exploits<\/em> and more effective playing models. So it's very rare for me to try to adapt or reuse models I've already created. I pretty much always start from scratch with every new Football Manager<\/em>edition, but obviously some baggage carries over from one FM to the next. Since I rely a lot on observing the match engine, I avoid from the start any old bad habits or decisions based on wrong assumptions. Since the best tactic is the one that wins, that will always be the perfect one.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Given how much the match engine changes year to year, which is your favourite FM tactically?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: The only old game in the series I sometimes play is CM 01\/02, when nostalgia hits. Tsigalko, Nikiforenko, West, Okoronkwo, Aghahowa, T\u00f3 Madeira, Hugo Pinheiro, among others, are on another level. I usually half-joke that every FM is really 3 different games. Each patch is almost a new game, and I often have to start almost from scratch tactically.
\nBut to answer your question, my favourite FM is always the most recent one. On every level. Maybe it's hard to explain, but playing an older FM knowing there's a newer one out isn't for me. FM is a game full of highs and lows, one day you're glued to your chair for so long you're practically part of the furniture, and the next you can go days without any motivation, often still sulking over that unfairly lost Champions<\/em> final, of course.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Are your tactical setups influenced by what you see in real life, and\/or do you watch full matches to understand your players' dynamics?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: Contrary to what you might think, I don't have a fixed recipe. I'm influenced just as much by what I see in real life as by ideas that pop into my head during a good night's sleep, or while waiting in the supermarket queue. Another source is often the game itself. Which teams are ranked higher, what systems they use, whether there are patterns among them, which teams give me the most trouble, etc.
\nIf an idea comes to me watching a real match, I try to recreate it in FM's match engine, but always keeping in mind it's a game, and you'll always need a lot of adaptability and sometimes creativity. Quite often you can't even fully recreate certain real-life models.
\nThen it's observation, observation, observation. And yes, full matches. Sometimes repeating the same match 50 times if needed, to understand to what extent a particular instruction\/change influences what I'm going for at the time. I'd dare say 90% of the time I start with one idea and end up with a completely different one, since it's a dynamic process where the match engine reigns supreme. However good an idea is in theory, sometimes it's best to just let the match engine itself guide you.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: We know you like long save<\/em>saves. Do you keep refining the tactic as the seasons go by, or once you reach the ideal one, do you stop changing it?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: There are usually 2 distinct modes for me, or two ways of playing if you want to call it that. One where the goal is purely studying the match engine and creating tactics. Another where the goal is doing saves<\/em> regular saves, what you'd call 'playing for real'. Usually, when I decide to start a save<\/em>save, I already have a model I want to test in-game. Once the save starts, there can be slight tweaks, both permanent and one-off (during a specific match). I like to impose my own ideas and my own style, but I'm not inflexible, and if I realise I need to change something to get the best result, I do it.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net<\/strong>: A lot of gamers<\/em> gamers set up one tactic for home games and another for away games, are you one of them too?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: I've done it, but it's not very common for me. I believe it's effective, and I'll probably have to do it out of necessity in the future. I don't do it that often because it doesn't really fit my way of managing the squad and developing the team.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: But if you've mastered the match engine, doesn't it end up feeling easy and repetitive, thrashing after thrashing?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: Not really, not anymore. Nowadays, with how much the game's AI has evolved, it's no longer a foregone conclusion. It used to be much easier to build something solid and just steamroll everything in your path from there on. Besides, there are always ways to challenge yourself with certain types of saves<\/em> save to fight off that monotony and ease. I can give the example of a Youth Academy-only save (taking a team and playing only with players developed at the club), or only playing with players of the nationality of the country you're managing in, imposing certain restrictions, or playing pure and simple LLM (lower league management)<\/em> LLM (lower league management), plain and simple.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Do you prefer starting with strong teams or small teams to test tactics, and why?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: To test tactics, ideally you'd run several teams, from different leagues and of different sizes. Then you have to factor in the system, the playing idea, the type of player suited to the model, etc., to pick which teams you can actually test conveniently on.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: You have your own website<\/em> where you share your tactics with the community. What's the link, and why do you do it? <\/strong>Don't you think everyone should develop their own tactics and try to beat the game? Downloading your tactics is almost like cheating<\/em> , and they never learn how to get around the match engine themselves, don't you agree?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: I still have the blog, but nowadays I use Youtube<\/a>\u00a0 and my Facebook\u00a0<\/a>
\nYes, I think so. Everyone should develop both ideas, and get a lot more fun and enjoyment out of it that way. But we also can't forget it's a game that takes up a lot of your time. And we all know time is scarce for a lot of us. The dilemma for a lot of my followers is basically this: am I going to spend time on the tactical side, or use that time to play a few matches and unwind a bit from everyday life? A lot of people would rather grab a tactic from wherever and use the time to show their club's manager that he's clueless and doesn't understand a thing. In his shoes, they'd win the league Champions<\/em> easily.<\/p>\n

For me, what matters most in all this is people having fun and enjoying themselves. And we're all different in that respect. I can have fun spending 3 hours replaying the same match trying to figure out how to get around the match engine. Others, not so much.
\nI've always encouraged people to create their own tactics, and sharing material is also meant to give people ideas to draw from. I'm usually very selective about what I share, and I only share what I think can genuinely be useful to someone. Since I've already done the work, why not help other people who, for one reason or another, are struggling and just want to have some fun\u2026<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: What would you advise someone who's never played FM and is struggling to create a winning tactic?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: My advice is patience. Rome wasn't built in a day<\/em>. FM, like any game, is a continuous learning process. Ideally you have a plan and keep adjusting it. Sometimes the plan is good, but you don't have the right squad for it. Either you have a plan and adjust the squad to fit it, or you have a squad and come up with a plan that lets you optimise the team's performance. After that, it's burning the midnight oil watching matches, which will make it easier to decide on any adjustments\/changes to make.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Despite your tactical mastery, you must have had some setbacks. Have you ever done the little cheat of restarting matches when you get frustrated with unfair results, or nowadays do you take defeat well, even when it often feels like the game's against you?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: As I said before, I've got '2 modes'. One is playing 'for real', the other is creation and observation. And I'm very honest with myself. There's no point lying to myself with rage quits<\/em>.
\n. So I can say that even when frustrated and annoyed, I don't like to cheat. In fact, it's often in the setbacks that we find enough clarity to improve and make changes that boost the performance of whatever ideas we're putting into practice at the time.<\/p>\n

Defeats that feel like the game's against you are part of it, and you need to be prepared for them.
\nWhen I'm in creation and observation mode though, as I said, I can replay the same match 50 times if I feel I need to. At that stage the results barely matter to me, what really matters is the final product. They're just tests, nothing more.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Have you ever done online<\/em>saves? Does anyone actually agree to play against you, or is everyone scared off by your reputation?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: I've always been an offline<\/em>player. I did play a few online<\/em>online games, but I never really liked how long they took. There's not enough time for everything, and I think I'll keep being an offline,<\/em> player, although SI has made some efforts to improve that side of things.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: But when you do play online<\/em>online, do you actually end up winning?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: From the little I played, I think it was about even. At the time it was more to try it out than anything else.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Do you still play as many hours as you did when you first discovered the game?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: I wish I had the time I had back then. Nowadays there are weeks I can't even open the game\u2026 It's only once you reach a certain age that you really understand what it means for time to be scarce.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Have you ever taken part in international tournaments?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: No, never.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Would you like FM to become an esport with regular international competitions? Would you take part?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: I think that's a likely path, and I'd like it to happen. But SI still has some rough edges to smooth out before that. It would have to be a very well thought-out mode, completely reworked, especially regarding the current limitations.
\nI'd take part if I found the mode appealing and was confident I could translate onto the pitch what I intended with the instructions I gave.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Have you ever thought about bringing all your tactical knowledge into the real world and becoming a manager?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: I'd be lying if I said no, but things never really pushed me in that direction. I'd only start down that road once I was sure I was ready for the challenge. You need much broader preparation than just understanding the ball.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: What would you like to see added in future versions of the game?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: I'd like a lot more freedom in the tactics creation system, especially around positioning and individual instructions, among other things. I understand they want to make things easier for some people with roles and duties, but it's too limiting. But what's actually going to happen is exactly the opposite.<\/p>\n

FMPortugal.net: Do you have any story to tell us from all your hours of 'addiction'?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Vodu: Besides bugs with guys smashing through goal frames, and more recently, a relative of mine showed up among the newly generated young players called 'Bruno Vodu'. This was still on FM2017, playing for Acad\u00e9mica. I burst out laughing, I admit. I also find it funny when people build stadiums named after me. More recently, on FM2018, the stars perfectly aligned and I won the Champions League in the second season using only home-grown players (Sporting). To this day I'm still trying to find an explanation for that, such was the combination of extremely favourable factors behind something so unlikely.<\/p>\n