xouman

Hi, I want to introduce another idea for youngers. I know that there are already threads about that, but I'd like to develope an idea without hijacking another member's thread.

First of all, I like how regens work comparing with other games and previous editions. Several youngsters every year, with semi-random roles, qualities and locations, but with good criteria imho.

But we have little impact in those regens: we can affect their quality through demanding better academy level from chairman, and players nationality according to staff nationalities. little else.

I will like to have a deeper academy management (of course people who don't want to manage it could lend it to youth team assistant and have several regens every year and no more problems). how? first of all, having not only a u18 team, but some teams according to age. For example here in spain young teams have a maximum and minimum idea, always between 2 years (for example, boys born in 96 or 95) but last which I think that lets 3 year range (boys born in 90-91-92).

What is the benefit? Well, you may shape those boys in order to assign them natural roles. a 18 years old player already has a natural role, but a player aged 12 does not, although he has some attributes that make him better defender than striker. Also you can control a bit their PPM's, but it won't be easy and most changes will be due to random events or internal player changes.

Of course players' habilities won't be higher than currently are, but players will be more used to your tactics and also you will know how do they perform, and know more about their hidden attributes. Of course, as young players change a lot and very quickly a great 13 years old player can be a crap 16, and a medium 13 player can be the academy star a couple of years later.

Also good teams can have more than one academy (and foreign academies, as some members demand), but it will get more expensive, while 1 local academy should be nearly free. Fans should demand managers to play in senior team that 17 years old star who is scoring tones of goals in academy matches while you are playing a unpopular 32 years old striker. Or hating you for selling a young star, expectating after buying a 14 years old african boy who is pacey but does not seem to play football.

Assistants could tell how young players are performing and if they are improving they CA, and maybe an idea of their PA, as now they are saying.

What do you think?

Neji

I like the idea of having more of a role in youth development. I'm not sure about players coming through with no natural position though because all players have a preffered position. However, i think it could be alot easier to alter their position. If a 12 y/o players like to play upfront but his stats show that he would be better in midfield, then it should be easier to encourage him to play there. I would like younger players through too but I guess it would impact on performance, having more players etc.

playmaker

SI are unlikely to to put players in dwon to the age of 12 - the increase in the size of he database, and hence decrease in the speed of the game, would be a big problem.

However, to would be nice to see more done on the manager's interaction with the youth team.

For example, I might not want to renew contracts, but I also don't want the assistant to give contracts to poor players - particularly when he doesn;t rate them!

Instead, it would be nice to have maybe two reports a season (one before each window opens) telling us who the top performers are, who needs more time to see how they develop and who can go out the door right now. Obviousy the report would be slightly different mid-season, as you don't want to play the back end of the season with too few players.

xouman

Neji: I agree that young players often have a prefered role and sometimes it's hard to change boy's idea. But for example, I played between 12 and 16 as striker. I was nice at 12, but quite crap at 16. An then I started playing as DMC and did better than when I was playing as ST. Now I also prefer to play as ST, but I perform better as DMC.

And about having more players, you might be true, but you will release lots of young players every year, as all clubs do each season (talking about those young players). Few of these players would ever play in your senior team, but you can make them play with senior players in preseason.

playmaker: I don't think young players made a huge impact to database size, but of course they would increase it. You may have a tick to choose if you want to play with these young players, and they will only exist if league has full detail.

At this time not all managers run all leagues because of this database increment, but those who do it could also run without problems this one.

davidj4

I would like to see my youth coach identify some younger players that have not turned 16 and been promoted to the youth team who are potential stars, and give me a short report on each one.

etc

"youth coach tony humes thinks you should be aware of 14 y/old midfield hardman Frank Grimes who is developing very well in his age group, we expect big things of him.

He is very good on the ball, but a bit of a hothead.

He will graduate to the youth team next year."

Or whatever.

These reports could occur every now and then, would be exciting, and a reason to keep playing if you found out you had the best 14 year old striker in the world about to join your youth team.