And then another one for the data base. I'm really tired of "go on holiday" to register my B team....

This isn't a bad point. I have the feeling the patch is delayed, because of worldwide data retrieval. On the other hand, it is not strange that they decide to release both at the same time. It is the most logical action. In the mean time they can test and test again and be sure the patch will be better.

Another option would be to not release a data update at all, if that would quiken patch releases. It would enable people to stay in a career, which they more likely abandon when there is new data.

Of course, this is the choice of the customer and they have more options when new data is released. Just when this wouldn't be the case people would be less tempted to start again as patches are save game compatible. More options isn't always a good thing.

That said, there are pro's and negatives to either option and this route has been taken by si for years. It is, however, too bad that in essence a real new good working career can be started in March when the game is released in October. That is why I start a new 07 career now until any new patch is out. I like to play finished games, 08 is work in progress.

As the patch has been released in the past with and without the data update, I think the chances are the folks at SI towers are trying to iron out as many bugs as possible and make everything work as it was planned to.

There's always more tweaking and fixing that can be done until the data has all been collated, updated and checked.

It's only going to be a couple of weeks now, I'd rather they finished some more ironing of the bugs then released 8.0.2 only for me to start a thread on the bugs forum twenty mins later entitled:

"WHY HASN'T THE PRMOTION/RELEGATION BUG IN IRELAND BEEN FIXED!?"

I prefer they take their time and get everything right, tbh.