I want better, more realistic gameplay, improved AI (really improved, not like in 2005 when in 2004 the midfield would just walk to attack when you were 1 down, and in 2005 one midfielder ran into the offside position), influece (when a once great team delegates, have the players who were there (not transferred ones) work very hard to get back to the top league. And have some players randomly improve during a game because of their personal life (it happens)), complacency, knowledge of their situation (a team already holding the cup won't waste their energy against the other teams, they'be relaxed.) Etc...
Also, how about player to player interactions? For example, say you just bought Pirlo from Milan, and during the Januray transfer window you get Gattuso as well. Have Gattuso play better wiuth Pirl than with other players, have players who dislike each other be unprofessional at times, have players who don't speak the local language play worse than they should until they adjust, or have players who speak their language play better with them). This **** happens. Also, in carreer mode, the ability to also train the national team would be sweet, especially if you could have an option to scout for unknown talents specifically for the natinal team.
Team talks, apprasials, criticisms, extra training, punishment for certain behaviour, a manager does this crap, and it affects morale and the players attitude in general. Have charactirastics. Say, for example, that you don't overtrain them, and try to be their best friends, have them be complacent, or if you're too hard, have them only play your way, without streaks of genius. More interference from the crowd, have them boo and insult players they hate, and chorus the name of their favorites. Have some REAL effect when you play away, or at home.
Be able to train players so they specialise in other positions, too. Or have, for example, a striker who it forced to play as a central midfielder, have him wander upfield more than he should, or if he's very professional and experienced, have him play the position like it should, have him stay there, even if it's not beneficial, they're your orders. Be able to shout at players to do something, like, press O to get a list of your players and when you choose one, have him run up field, past the player with the ball, so he could get the ball. That might be complicated, but maybe you can simply press the players number after you press O, and he'll do that. Or tell him to retain his position even when you're attacking. Be able to choose EXACTLY who does what during corners and kicks (Have one players bothering the keeper, and another come to get a short pass. Or, like in Fifa '99 and '00 I believe, be able to choose how you shoot the corner, (in '99, if I recall correctly, you could choose to either choose a specfic person to pass to (which you could now add off the ball to), or simply shoot it by choosing a direction via an arrow (the longer it was the harder you shot it, and the you could curve it as well), or simply shoot to anywhere on the field and hope fot he best (again, you can use off the ball)). This would be much better than the 3 options **** you get, it would rock in throw-in's as well, you could surprise the defense when you tell your defender to run towards the opponents and get the throw-in. And if you think this makes it unrealistic (in '99 the ball always went where you wanted it), then have margin of error which decreases as the accuracy of the shooter increases (in '05 I could have a defender shoot it and it still reached the spot perfectly).
This stuff would be incredible in my opinion. Also, when choosing a captain, have him actually do something. Have stats which make a captain better then others. And also, have second options. In these games if I substituted the kicker, I had to go to tactics to have a decent shooter to take it. And individual tactics would be superb, have that winger run forwards and then gert into the area when your other winger is with the ball and looking to pass it.
Now, I'm not sure about the newer games, but I'm guessing you simply press a button and a directional key and you normally get the same tricks. Well, have other options. Press B to do step-over style tricks, and V to have the player raise the ball and bounce it, etc... And have the same options when it comes to first-touch, e.g press D 3 times when the ball is in the air for the player to try to head it, regardless of where it might reach him, press it twice to have him control the ball with whatever part of his body, but have him remain stationary there, facing the direction you choose, press S twice to have try a trick-pass, thrice for him to try and ground the ball. Press A twice to lob the ball over two defenders only, once for one, thrice to send it as far as possible (these should all have error margins, not like in '05 when you had to have 40 dribble to mess up a step-over.
This one might be tough, but, have different buttons for different types of kicks, so: when you press D, you determine how much power you shoot with, when you press D with T, you attempt a high shot, with Y, a low shot, with U, a middle shot, with I, you shoot with your left leg, with O, with yor right one (or just have I be for your weak leg, and all other time he'll attempt to shoot with his trong one, even if it's ill-advised), with G, have him try to curve the ball, with Q, lob it, with C, feint, etc... This isn't that hard, but will improve the game so much when you master it, I mean,, just think about being able to place a curved shot right where you want it and not just because you pressed D long enough, and at what cost? To press D, G and O all at once?
I just had a huge rant, but if they put all thsi in the game, I'd buy it in a blink of an eye, (including all those leages and teams you mentioned), It'd take a while to master, but, it'd be so rewarding to know that you actually dominate EVERYTHING, and play football like you really want to.
Oh, and not really gameplay, but, Israeli and argentinian leagues a re must, much more than than 4th division English league.
