There is something to be said for starting as a big team - it can be fun working out how to spend your transfer budget and testing your team in Europe. I loved managing Liverpool simply because it let me make changes to my squad that I wish would happen for real.
But I totally agree with you Fed, the secret is a long term game. I've had games on FM07 that have crossed continents and different levels of ability and it kept me hooked for 15 seasons (I only stopped because FM08 came out). There is something to be said that once the last of the real players have retired and it's just re-gens that it becomes less enjoyable, maybe that's just me.
I'm not sure how people can claim to be bored of a game where you can manage almost anyone, anywhere - it even helps you learn about football in other countries that you may not have known much about. And anyway, for £20, bored or not, no-one can say that they don't get value for money. | 
