retired_sargent

My point is that everyone seems to rush their scouts out to find players that the scout feels are better than the ones you have got.
I have found myself disbelieving him as I have looked at the form of the scouted players and the teams they are currently playing for. If they were as good as he thinks, why are they not performing, why are their teams in the doo-doo and why are they willing to join a team that is expected to be relegated.
I now like to wait a while until a) I can personally assess my team's players and b) I can assess the form of the scouted players.

retired_datheman034

We all know that most LL sides have massive personnel turnovers.

Close season it's not unusual for say Hinckley to sign 15 players and release as many.

If you started on say 10 August in FM08 you would assume the squad was complete or at least only 1 or 2 players were needed.

But after 1 July this year my local BSS club signed another 8 players, so the representation is that the club have let some players go and signed some but I think signing more players is not a big deal.

I prefer to largely play with what I have but we all know you can take over a side with 1 decent striker or only one natural right back so sometimes reinforcements are required anyway.

For me either scenario is realistic and therefore I don't consider this to be a point that needs to be discussed in length. Each to their own method.

Again, if you coach reports say offload the lot of them surely it's time to find a scout and try and bring people in!!!

retired_sargent

Well that's told me, I knew 6 years of being a poster on this forum did not count for much, but now I should not discuss things that I believe are relevant. Hmmmmmmm.

retired_datheman034

I wasn't telling you not to discuss it.

I was merely saying that I MYSELF don't consider in MY OPINION for it to be relevant as I think both scenarios of signing players after 1 July with a new manager and keeping squad you have have happened.

If anything at LL level it would be more of a surprise to not add anyone in the 6 weeks prior to the season.

retired_cin4me9

I'm also in the see what I've got first camp. Don't usually do much buying and selling until the end of my first season. Besides, by the time I get a scout organised and working and some reports in, the transfer window is usually closed.

A new manager at the start of his career, on his very first job, isn't about to offload half the team and bring in a load of new players, who you'd know just as little about, if not less, than the players you inherited.

A more experienced manager may have better knowledge of the team he's taking over, and also lpayers in mind he'd like to have, so I'd see that as being different.

retired_rymar

Personally;

- I generally don't buy immediately at the start of the game, I evaluate what I have.

- This may change if I'm a few years in and know that I have a specific need when I move to a new club.

- I'll always have at least one scout on the books so if there's no response to an ad within a month, I'll search for one. That is my "last resort".

- Let your conscience guide you - the guidelines don't stipulate a specific time for a reason.

Cheers

Matt

retired_ironmaden

I usually make my first signings only in the January period. If the squad needs filling up, I tend to loan from parent club (if I have one) or promote carp youth.

Of course sometimes it's an entirely different scenario: in my Akropolis save I've had a squad consisting of 3 players, so summer was spent with trialling new players.

retired_princess160

I simply want a scout. Hunting those talents from day 1 I am in charge, on the off-chance I might pick up some old warhorse or half-promising youngster before the first window closes.

I consider it totally unrealistic not to have a scout, so if the game doesn't yield a scout through the job centre (which I know 8.01 doesn't), I have no qualms at all using the staff search.

I sleep very well

retired_lapepe

I always try to find better players than I currently have. If I haven't found a scout for 4-6 weeks through ads, I find one appropriate from the Staff Search. Scouts are alfa and omega for LLM, so it's unrealistic to not have one or two.

Throughout the season scouts are always busy and I'm always trying to find better players than I have. When taking over a club you often lack players or quality in some positions, so then you have to bring in some.

Very rarely do squads at this level have what you deem good enough. And even then I'd send the scouts on the road to try to find replacements. it's the only way to succeed.

retired_jmathias

Don't want to contradict you Pangaea, but having scouts in LL in some countries is probably less realistic than having them.

Anyway, to add my 50 euro cents... If I am at the club without a scout, I tend to use coaches and/or ass man to scout only players that are brought to my attention. Either great performances in a match against us or they are mentioned in the news etc. Needless to say, I scout them for 3 matches, as I want a realistic evaluation.