A red team (to the left) is playing against a blue team (right) on the field. Each time, either

• the red team has ball possession---then the background is dark red, or
• the blue team has ball possession---then the background is dark blue, or
• we have a break, either before start, at half time, after the game, or after a goal has been achieved. The background is green in that case.

If a team possesses the ball, the corresponding player can either 

• pass: then you click on the player that should receive the ball, or 
• shoot: then you click on the goal. For a shot, you should click on a part of the goal as far apart from the goalkeeper as possible.

Breaks

The game is interrupted after 45 minutes and after each goal, but you can interrupt the game at any time by clicking the "timeout" button.

If the game is interrupted, both players can exchange players (by clicking them off and on) or change the position of the players slightly (by dragging) around the corresponding circle, which indicates the natural position. The number of players you can exchange is fixed (5) and also the number of exchanges you can make during each break. If these numbers are exceeded, the exchange and moving will no longer work.

Player Strength

The strengths of each player is composed by the following::

• a number from 1 to 9, starting at the number shown in the tables, provided the player plays at his ideal position. Otherwise this number is decreased, depending on the distance between actual position and ideal position. This number changes randomly every 3 minutes---it either increases by one or decreases by one. For every shot or pass, it also decreases by 1---playing makes tired.
• A second number is shown besides the picture. It changes randomly around the first number every minute. The amount of this change can be fixed in the last text field of the head.
• a random number from 1 to 3, (for better players from 2 to 4, for number 9 players ("divas") from 1 to 5) which is hidden the first 45 minutes and only revealed then. After that, it is the lower number at the picture of the player. Since this hidden number depends on the first number when the player comes into the game, and since this first number may be lower than the number shown in the tables, this third number also depends on the position.

Whether or not an action like a pass or a shoot is successful or intercepted depends on

• the strength of the player and
• the strength of the players between/around, and
• the strength and position of the goalkeeper, in case of a shot.

How did I create these initial strength numbers? I took them from the Kicker homepage where grades are given to all players in the Championship 2002.
score < 2.1: 8 as upper strength
2.1 - 2.3: 7
2.3 - 2.7: 6
2.7 - 3.0: 5
3.0 - 3.5: 4
3.5 - 4.0: 3
4.0 - 4.5: 2
Only those numbers that are red in the tables are increased to reflect the importance of the player.

For the left team, you may decide to choose a computer trainer, either to suggest moves (if a human trains the team) or to decide what to do in each step if you are playing alone (training the team to the right). You may choose between 3 trainers and different depth levels. You may change this setting throughout the game---just click the "change Trainer" button.

By changing the number in the field left of the "GG" button, you can choose how many clicks a game has.

If a game is over but a draw and you need a decision, click on the "GG" (golden goal) button, that allows you to play on until the next goal.