The other notable hardcore addition is a welcome signpost for the future of a series, ProZone. And a great way of spying on potential signings for your own team too. It's a tidy way of mimicking the real world phone calls that must take place when Steve Maclaren comes knocking. National coaching also introduces a neat option that enables you to ask club managers for an assessment of squad members with a view to giving them a cap. While most dugout dabblers simply use the national option as a means of collecting personal kudos and filling in a few blanks in the footballing calendar, this is a welcome - if overdue - addition. CM has also grown up to include an international management option, a dimension of play that was only previously available as a patch for CM 2006. Admittedly, though, the game is still in desperate need of a visual overhaul if it's to achieve the professional, glossy look of its key rival. Aptly, CM is starting to lose the unsightly blemishes that characterised it's developing years, due to slightly smarter graphics that provide a noticeable improvement on last season's outing.
