Hello! It’s that time of year where we take our annual journey through the current Premier League managers and where they can be found in CM9798. Some new faces, some very old faces, faces all the same. Who is where? We’ll also look at the ever dwindling list of players in CM9798 still lacing up their boots professionally today.

Arsenal – Mikel Arteta

Always a bad start this. Obviously, Arteta still isn’t in the game but the bad news keeps on coming as last year we could at least utilise his assistant Steve Round, but he’s now left the club.

Absolutely nothing to do with current Arsenal in 1997. Even Per Mertesacker (Academy manager) wasn’t around. Boo and hiss.

Aston Villa – Unai Emery

Ripping up the Premier League this year, Unai Emery of Aston Villa is here for another year. In 1997 he was playing for Toledo, and other than being a little slow, his attributes are more than respectable.

He’ll be hoping that adaptability of 18 helps him more at Villa than it did at Arsenal.

Bournemouth – Andoni Iraola

As is becoming a worrying trend for the future of this annual tradition, Andoni Iraola is too young to have been a player on our beloved game. Most of his mates are the same but they do have Neil Moss as a goalkeeping coach. I’ve never been so happy to see Neil Moss.

Mind you it was no better when it was Gary O’Neil…

Brentford – Thomas Frank

Oh look it’s another one not in the game. Thomas Frank had next to no playing career at a senior level so you’ll have to enjoy Brentford’s “Head of Individual Development” Steven Pressley. That seems like quite a big title for Steven Pressley.

Brighton – Roberto De Zerbi

Brighton couldn’t have appointed somebody obvious could they? De Zerbi, nor any of his staff, are in 97/98 which is a real blow for us.

However, for some reason they have ex-Everton defender David Weir employed as a Technical Director. He’s in the game aged 27 and, frankly not very good. I always find stuff like this amusing in the editor. Clearly they don’t rate him that highly:

But, whoever did the research decided that it was worthwhile giving him 14 for set pieces. Two caps for Scotland too and this disrespect!

Here he is in game:..

Burnley – Vincent Kompany

Bad news, Burnley are managed by Vincent Kompany who was about 3 years away from a professional debut in 1997. Good news though, he’s employed professional tyrant Craig Bellamy as his assistant. He is but a boy in 1997 but no doubt very angry nevertheless.

Chelsea – Mauricio Pochettino

A welcome back to the list to Pochettino, who is the latest to have a go at taming the billions of pounds worth of assets at Chelsea. He can be found at Espanyol in 1997 and would go on to play for Argentina and foul Michael Owen at World Cup 2002.

Finally, a manager who was a player 26 years ago!

Crystal Palace – Roy Hodgson

Back to form now. Roy Hodgson is managing Blackburn Rovers in 1997, where he is a spritely 73 year old. Good news though, Roy has Dougie Freedman as a Sporting Director. Dougie can be found at Wolves in 97/98 although he is at Palace in the out of the box version, moving to Wolves in October 1997.

Everton – Sean Dyche

I wrote last year that Frank Lampard would be doing well to stay in the Everton job by the time the 2023 edition rolled around and I was right to be worried for him. Lampard was replaced by Sean Dyche in January and, as of this writing, Everton are on a great run of form despite being docked 10 points.

Happily, Dyche can be found at Bristol City as a versatile option.

Fulham – Marco Silva

Still in a Premier League job despite being offered the old truck full of Saudi Arabian money in the summer, it’s Marco Silva. Still at Fulham, Silva has got the Cottagers playing some lovely stuff as they look well placed to comfortably avoid the relegation scrap if not better. In CM9798 he’s a young right back still in his homeland.

Flair of 2 is not befitting of his side’s current style!

Liverpool – Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp is doing great things at Liverpool but as a defender in CM9798 he is average at best. That aggression of 10 is kind, we’ve all seen mad Klopp. Also stamina of 8 is ironic given his gegenpressing ways. Klopp did go on to manage Mainz which lead him to Dortmund where he really came to flourish as a coach.

Luton Town – Rob Edwards

Luton are in their debut Premier League season and their manager Rob Edwards is another of the too young brigade. However, Luton employ Kevin Pilkington (Goalkeeper coach), Mick Harford (Chief Recruitment Officer) and Paul Trollope (Assistant Manager) to let’s enjoy all three of those:

Whilst I’m here, we all wish Tom Lockyer a speedy recovery.

Manchester City – Pep Guardiola

Guardiola was excellent as a player and somehow even better as a manager. He is quite possibly the best player we have in the list today. As you’d expect, creativity, passing and technique are all very high. What else can you say really?

Manchester United – Erik Ten Hag

Clinging onto his place in the list we have Erik Ten Hag. He was seemingly rapid and accurate judging by these stats. I looked him up in the editor and he’s a pretty solid centre half, worth taking a punt on if you’re not a top, top side.

Much like Lampard last year, I wouldn’t like to say with any certainty that he will feature again in 2024.

Newcastle United – Eddie Howe

Eddie is our King! Although he isn’t much in 97/98 he’s doing a fine job in management right now, steering Newcastle from relegation certainties to Champions League eliminees. I don’t think that’s a word but it should be.

Nottingham Forest – Steve Cooper

Steve Cooper has had a great run as Nottingham Forest manager and has great coaching credentials already. Importantly, he also played Ned Schneebly in School of Rock. His playing career is non-existent at 97/98 level so here’s First Team Coach Jamie Robinson. An ex-Liverpool youth player, no less.

Sheffield United – Chris Wilder

I respect Sheffield United for going from one CM9798 player to another. Heckingbottom is out and Chris Wilder is in. In game, Wilder can be found at First Division Bradford where he’s quite average.

At least he’s in the game, though.

Tottenham Hotspur – Ange Postecoglou

Ange. Big Ange. Angeball. Whatever you call him, he’s got a unique style and it’s quite fun to watch unless you’re on the receiving end of it. Sadly, he wasn’t playing in 1997/98 and neither are most of his coaches, so here we have “Professional Development Phase Coach” Paul Bracewell.

Three caps for England!? Who knew.

West Ham – David Moyes

Everybody’s favourite in-game error

Glaswegian David Moyes is a 34 year old Englishman here. He can head a ball though. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him become a manager in the game though. He’s doing a great job at West Ham especially after adding the Conference League trophy to his CV last season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers – Gary O’Neil

Gary O’Neil is doing a brilliant job at Wolves but he isn’t in the game so once again we are scrapping around for alternatives. Thankfully he has Shaun Derry on the coaching staff, so here he is.

That’s the managers done but is anybody still playing from CM9798?

We lost Gianluigi Buffon this year, who announced his retirement in the summer.

Another favourite, albeit a little less conventional is Kazuyoshi Miura in Japan. He’s 30 in the game but 56 in real life but is still contracted to Yokohama FC. He’s on loan in Portugal in the second tier, which is a remarkably odd move but it probably means he’s in FM24. He didn’t make the World Cup squad last year but there’s always 2026. He’s at U.D. Oliveirense if you are keeping score.

That’s it for the professionals though, previous stalwarts of this list such as Bywater, Hughes and Keane have all called it a day. I imagine there are a lot more at non-league level, such as Jamie Cureton who is player-manager at Enfield, and Barry Hayles seems to always get a mention.

Roy Carroll has played a game for Ballinamallard United in January of this year, but he pulled a hamstring half an hour in and has now retired for good.

Do you know any more? Get in touch!