I am just coming up to the 2 year mark managing the Ukraine. I'm English, and the only leagues active are the Blue Square North/South to Premier Division in England. I had a look at my profile to see how my stats were going, when I realised all my stats are still 10 - a bit strange? I was glad to see I had learnt Ukranian though, seeing as in real life I have been trying to learn French for 2 years and still have no clue! I also saw that my knowledge bar consisted of 100% England... and nothing else! I've been going to quite a few Dynamo Kiev matches in the champions league, about 20 of my 26 squad are based in the Ukraine, but still I apparently know nothing about Ukraine (except the language). Will my knowledge of Ukraine ever improve, or is it because I don't have the league active or because I'm not actually managing a Ukrainian League team? Surely by now Fabio Capello would have at least some knowledge of England so why can't I have knowledge of Ukraine?

I'm pretty sure that if you were managing a Ukrainian league team that you'd have picked up some knowledge of Ukranian football by now.

However, I think that by managing a nation without the national league being active you might have created a rather unique situation. It sounds like a possible bug if you've not picked up any Ukranian knowledge by now.

Okay, that's unrealistic, but in FM gaming terms, what use would knowledge of Ukraine do you if you don't have the league active anyway?

True, but I don't want to manage the Ukraine for my entire career. If I joined a good Championship or Premier Division team, then I'd like to be able to remember some the decent youngsters in the Ukraine without having to wait until the board will 'pay for scouting in Europe'.

On a side note, is there actually any real advantage to having knowledge of a country? Something like attributes are not masked for example?

Can't you just put anyone you fancy on your shortlist. I haven't been in this position - presumably when changing jobs you take your shortlist with you. You wouldn't be able to see the players develop though, I guess.

to answer the knowledge question, in the search players thing, players only with a continental or worldwide rep will show up, plus a number of players in the countries you have knowledge of, depending on how much you have.

aha! success!

I was playing last night, and got to October 2009 - 2 years, 3 months of managing Ukraine.

I know have knowledge of Russia (almost full), Kazhakstan (half), Belarus (half), China (how? about a third) and Ukraine (just under a third)

Surely I should have more knowledge of Ukraine than China? None of the squad are based in China. I can understand knowledge of Russia, and maybe Kazhakstan and Belarus, but China just seems a weird one to have!

I think you'd get more of that countries players on your player search screen.

Most Ukrainian staff have knowledge of China. But I absolutely agree that you should know more about Ukraine!

Yeah that happened to me but in a shorter time.
I was at Rangers and had Full(scotland), Half(england),quater(finland???) and thats all.
Was manager of Nigeria for a few months.

End of season 2009/10 it just clicks over, now have knowledge of Nigeria, Brazil and a few others.

I hope they fix this and make the knowledge of the nation you coach to increase alot faster.