SI Games has announced - perhaps not unsurprisingly given the World Cup starts tomorrow (so expect posting to become patchy...) - that Football Manager 2007 will be released in time for the Christmas sales rush.

"We are constantly striving for perfection and are on track to deliver our most authentic football experience yet", commented Miles Jacobson, Studio Director of Sports Interactive. "There will be a new, easy to use default skin, as well as improved hints and tips throughout the game. More in-depth feedback from your assistant manager and coaches, plus interaction with any player worldwide makes this an un-missable and very user friendly experience, and our best football game by a country mile."

New features include revamped youth and Scouting systems, the introduction of feeder clubs as a source of new players and more varied half-time team talk options, among other as-yet unannounced features.