retired_melissa1

I was just considering this question, and realised that in fact, and contrary to what happens IRL, in FM a player being released by a top club is less likely to be an indicator of quality.

Considering the example of portuguese football. The top clubs here (Benfica, Sporting and Porto) have the best academies. So it's very likely that a player who has come through the youth ranks in one of these clubs will be a better player than one who has done the same in a lower league club. In fact, it is very usual here that when a top club buys a player from a smaller club, the smaller club will try to include in the deal a clause that will allow them to have first options in the players that are released by the top club. Because a player who's not good enough for a big club most likely will be a good addition to a smaller club.

In FM this doesn't happen: the youngsters that appear in the bigger clubs are (as far as I think) random regenerations of players that have meanwhile retired. I don't think there is a line of code in the game stating that great players must regenerate at top clubs. So I never know what player am I getting from a top club, and that's why I try to find out more about him before I find him. The only valuable info I get from checking the 'Transfers Out' screen is knowing that he is available on a freebie.

IRL, if I were manager of a regional club, and knew I had a chance of signing a player that had come through the youth system at Benfica, and had just been released, I wouldn't think twice.

retired_dfiegel

that's not correct. Although they are still referred to as regens, the new players that appear in the game are not regenerations of retired players. also, i believe that big clubs with good facilities are more likely to get good players appear in their youth squads.

retired_melissa1

Really? I thought that the number of players in the database was constant, and that therefore you'd get a new player generated for every retired player. If things happen the way you say, then it does reflect more accurately what happens IRL.

retired_davek

In the absence of the header, and to clear it up for the hard of thinking:

If you are playing LLM, you can only sign a player if your scout has recommended him (and only if he has found the player in question from scouting a country which you border or can tour in, or if you have specifically asked the scout to look at him after they have played against you).

If you are not playing LLM (and this means if you are doing transfers in any other way than the above) - we don't want to know how you play your game. Go to another, less zealot-like forum.

And for the love of God, don't continually justify yourself. We don't give a $hit.

retired_dfiegel

fair enough. I applaud your bluntness.

retired_melissa1

FYI, I am playing and signing players like you say. And my scout is assigned to the region 'UK & Ireland'.

But I guess there's always someone like you in every forum. Meh, I suppose that's why I've been a member of these forums for five and a half years and prefer to lurk instead of posting. Sorry for trying to have an interesting discussion and clarify some points with other forum members who happen to have an interest in managing lower league clubs. I'd better leave your private forum alone then. Perhaps it will make you feel important to think that I was actually trying to get your particulal approval, and got so upset for noticing that you couldn't care less that I had to leave and get back to lurking mode :p

retired_eiyana

In real life i think a lot of the top clubs arrange matches and invite scouts to go and watch the players who are to be released. This doesn't happen in FM unfortunately. Players may also approach the clubs and request to train with them or go on trial, again this isn't the cas in FM. It is a shame as signing released and free players is so important to LLM.

For me the problem in using the released players screen is that when you first see the player there is no guage in deciphering whether the player in real life would go to a Championship team or a Conference team. Therfore how do you chose which ones to take on trial? It wouldn't be realistic to trial them all. I also fear that in using the screen you are giving yourself access to players that in real life you would never even stand a chance of signing.

retired_babymwc07

I use this method occasionally. Some players will refuse a trial. Others, generally the not so good ones, pop along for a kickabout. The ones you can pick up are not unrealistic.

Because in reality you can't scout a player who is unattached, the way I see it is have a browse through the stats you can see, equivalent to speaking to Mr Fergouson and getting a quick 'He's good in the air, strong, fast but can't shoot to save his life', trial the ones that look favourable, and take you're pick. Half will want silly money and you'll end up signing one in four you trial.

But as gets said a lot, the people on here are very stuck in their ways and won't tolerate change, so I play the way I play and they play the way they play. No point really discussing stuff with this stubborn lot Goncalo.

retired_stelutaivan

Us lot stubborn? Never


Prefer the send the scouts out and sign anything that moves approach.

No-one wants to go to the Slovak Second Division though

retired_melissa1

mrbiscuit: I don't find this lot that stubborn. I mean, I can understand that a rule is a rule is a rule, and that's it. After that point was made clear, I was just curious to find out people's views on this matter, that's all, and not looking for approval. What annoys me is when people are unnecessarily rude, like Wizzle_O_Sizzle was. I'm not exactly a newbie, and being a moderator in a gaming forum myself, I've learned to recognise the type.

Fids: I used to do that in FM2005. The problem I'm having with FM2006 is that the stupid scout recommends players left and right. Furthermore, even though I specifically told him to look for players that were valued at 0K (no money for transfers available at Maidenhead, obviously), he keeps coming up with players that are sometimes valued at 50K.