How do you keep a 2nd choice keeper happy?

Even when I sign players as a Backup they still moan. Akinfeev is my goalie and will be for years. I change my 2nd choice once a year, if not each transfer window.

Play him in every cup match?

it can be hard, but try playing them in your cup games, easier league games, if you're in Europe and have already qualified for the next round, or have a high goal lead, play him in that game. Also, if you're guaranteed the league title, or at least a Euro bearth, play him for the last 6 or so games of the season. I've managed to keep 3 international rep keepers in my squad for nearly 3 years (although 2 are going in the next window for a combined $10M!)

Even when I sign players as a Backup they still moan. Akinfeev is my goalie and will be for years. I change my 2nd choice once a year, if not each transfer window.

Presuming that he is as good, or almost, as your first choice, then yes play them in games that dont matter and if they ask nicely for more action then tell them they will get their chance and play them a few times when your first choice has a lower moral, maybe after a bad game or significantly lower fitness (but my keepers are nearly always 99 - 100% fit). I havent noticed a dropped keeper worth having who has been annoyed by that, but look to switch back as soon as reasonable. Having said that it has only kind of worked for me. My 2nd choice is fed up (only 4 or 5 appearances all season) but my first choice, who is marginally better, is a club stalwart (many appearances - 100's, many years of service, good reputation/respect) who is retiring in close season. It is clear my No.2 will then be No.1 but i cannot relate that to him in the confines of the game so am nursing the situation until the end of the season/next pre-season.

I could end up losing both of course.

Even when I sign players as a Backup they still moan. Akinfeev is my goalie and will be for years. I change my 2nd choice once a year, if not each transfer window.

Make sure your back-up plays in ALL the cup games and he should stay happy. Also to keep them fit make them avaidable for the reserves.

i never really care and always make sure i have three keepers who are good enough so i don't have to play an unhappy one. reserve keepers don't get games with me unless there's an injury to first choice.

Presuming that he is as good, or almost, as your first choice, then yes play them in games that dont matter and if they ask nicely for more action then tell them they will get their chance and play them a few times when your first choice has a lower moral, maybe after a bad game or significantly lower fitness (but my keepers are nearly always 99 - 100% fit). I havent noticed a dropped keeper worth having who has been annoyed by that, but look to switch back as soon as reasonable. Having said that it has only kind of worked for me. My 2nd choice is fed up (only 4 or 5 appearances all season) but my first choice, who is marginally better, is a club stalwart (many appearances - 100's, many years of service, good reputation/respect) who is retiring in close season. It is clear my No.2 will then be No.1 but i cannot relate that to him in the confines of the game so am nursing the situation until the end of the season/next pre-season.

I could end up losing both of course.

it's annoyed me for many years that you can't tell a keeper that he will be the number 1 next year. I often buy young keepers and bring them through the ranks, so that by the time they hit their early to mid twenties they are ready to take over for my current starter, but they always leave a season too early!

Make sure your back-up plays in ALL the cup games and he should stay happy. Also to keep them fit make them avaidable for the reserves.

That's what I do, plus 'easy' league fixtures. I've not had a problem yet. Mind you, my back-up is Joe Hart, replicating his real-life role at Citeh. He has youth on his side which might help; could be trickier keeping one the age of Steve Harper or wassisname the back-up at Chelski that went to be back-up at Spuds happy.

Sell them when they get unhappy and sign someone who's been released.

Play them in cup games and bring them on if you have a healthy lead with 30 minutes to go. Should be able to keep them happy.

I usually make sure my backup keeper is young and promising, or aged about 35 or over. Therefore neither keeper will have any expectations to play every week, but can also be relied upon if needed. My current keeper is world class but is 30, so maybe another 3 or 4 years at the top and I have a very talented 20 year old keeper on the bench who loves the club and so far is very happy. I also, as mentioned already, play him in the cup matches, including the Uefa (or Europa) cup.

I agree with kwache, very young keeper with loads of potential but is aware he is not of first team standard or a veteran.

Even when I sign players as a Backup they still moan. Akinfeev is my goalie and will be for years. I change my 2nd choice once a year, if not each transfer window.

Exactly the same situation with me in my current save, Even the same keeper. I've had to sell a back-up keeper every season for them moaning, and i tried playing them in cup games and the odd Prem game.

I've gone through Ben Foster, Tom Hutton (Spelling), Leo Franko (Again spelling is probs wrong), Joe Hart and Kasper Schmeichel in my 5 seasons.

I had a 1st and 2nd choice team on my Inter save and played the 2nd choice team against lower half league opposition, so the respective players were getting around 20-24 games a year, including europe. Akinfeev was my back-up keeper and that kept him happy enough.

EDIT: of course, if you don't have the funds for 2 teams of comparitive strength this won't work :-(

Ideally, I always try to have 2 keepers who are more or less equal then rotate them. Failing that, I try to get a promising youngster or a grizzled veteran as a 2nd keeper. He will usually get half the number of games as the 1st choice so everyone's happy in the end.

As others have said, you need someone as backup who wouldn't be an automatic first choice for a similar sized club.

That might be a young up and coming keeper or an experienced guy who has been there, seen it, done it and has nothing to prove.

Something else you might consider is having 2 back-up keepers rather than 1. Then take it in terms in releasing each one on short-term recallable loans, so that they are able to keep their hand in with first team football.

Cup games are a must, and you may even find that your Reserves Cup games are good enough for them, (so stick them back in the Reserves for Cup games), depending on which league you are playing in.

Even when I sign players as a Backup they still moan. Akinfeev is my goalie and will be for years. I change my 2nd choice once a year, if not each transfer window.

hope that carlo cudicini gets resurected as a young player again. you'll be able to keep him in your reserves for years without him moaning.

but ona serious note, i dont really care if they get unhappy. i sign a player hwo's not too expensive and tie him down to a 4 year + contract.

if he wants to moan then its tough because he isn't going anywhere for a few more years.

I give him all the cup games

As people have said, I always play my second choice keeper in cup games and most reserve games. If they play well in the cup, you can leave them in for a little spell in the league