Unfortunately ultimate soccer manager 98/99 doesn't work properly in Windows XP but there is a way to fix it with QfixApp:
1. On your Win XP cd go to the folder "Support"
2. Then "Tools"
3. Double click ACT20.exe, and then the Application Compatability Toolkit will be installed
4. The Application Compatability Toolkit will now be in your Start menu in windows.
5. Open QfixApp
6. Click Browse, and choose the USM98.exe file
Go to fixes and a long list of setting will appear.
Now the next bit is a bit long winded:
AddProcessParametersFlags
AddWritePermissionsToDeviceFiles
AliasDXDC
AllowDesktopSetProp
AlwaysActiveMenus
ChangeAuthenticationLevel
CorrectACMArgs
CorrectACMStreamOpen
CorrectBitmapHeader
CorrectCreateEventName
CorrectCreateIcon
CorrectCreateSurface
CorrectFarEastFont
CorrectFilePaths
CorrectOpenFileExclusive
CorrectSoundDevicelD
CorrectVerInstallFile
CUASAppFix
CUASDisableCicero
DelayDlllnit
DirectPlayEnumOrder
DisableBoostThread
EmulateCDFS
EmulateCreateFileMapping
EmulateCreateProcess
EmulateDeleteObject
EmulateDirectDrawSync
EmulatDrawText
EmulateFindHandles
EmulateGetCommandLine
EmulateGetDeviceCaps
EmulateGetDiskFreeSpace
EmulateGetProfileString
EmulateHeap
EmulateMissingEXE
EmulatePlaySound
EmulatePrinter
EmulateToolHelp32
EmulateUser
EmulateVerQueryValue
EmulateWriteFile
EnableRestarts
FileVersionInfoLie
ForceAnsiGetDisplayNameOf
ForceCDStop
ForceColnitialize
ForceDXSetupSuccess
ForceKeepFocus
ForceShellLinkResolveNoUI
HandleAPIExceptions
HandleRegExpandSzRegistryKeys
HandleWvsprintfExceptions
HeapClearAllocation
HeapForceGrowable
HeapLookasideFree
HeapPadAllocation
HeapValidateFrees
HeapDisplayModes
IgnoreException
IgnoreLoadLibrary
IgnoreScheduler
LocalLibraryCWD
MapMemoryB0000
ProfilesEnvStrings
ProfilesGetFolderPath
ProfilesRegQueryValueEX
SingleProcAffinity
SyncSystemAndSystem32
VirtualRegistry
Win95VersionLie
WinExecRaceConditionFix
When you select all of this click Advanced -> Create Fix Support and there you have it. The game will work perfectly under Windows XP.