Managing a nation and club

I'm in my fourth season with my club and have recent been offered the England job which I accepted. They were first in their qualifying group with 5 games to play and needing only two wins. My first game was against lowly opposition and at the start of the season so I omitted players from my club, the second game was against a good side so I recalled them, however for the final three games I see myself calling up my rivals key players while leaving my key players back at home, I am in a dilemma, is this a form of cheating? i know it's my game and free for me to play as I would like.

thanks in advanced

I'm sure any manager would do this.. in real life aswell if the games wern't important.

As long as you are doing what's best for the national team without comprimising players health.

you should be fine

But surely not playing some of my better players ie world class players for the nation I am not doing what is best for the national team?

As long as you field a team you genuinely feel can win the match then you are doing all you need, take Man Utd last game of the season against hull, they played a very much weakened side for that game leaving key players out, but Sir Alex said they could win still and they did. By fielding a team for the national side capable of winning each match you are doing the best for the team, as i assume this gives fringe players their chance to shine.

I do see your worry though that letting your players rest while potentially tiring your opponents you may feel like you are cheating, but i think that you have to ask this question makes it sound like you already think it is? personally if you are picking them in order to tire them for club games then it still isn't cheating as such but is perhaps very underhand tactics (doesn't inherently mean you shouldn't do it), if you are picking them because they have good form and can win the match then there is no problem, that is what managers do.

It's not cheating because you're playing within the boundaries of the game's design. But it is a loop-hole and therefore its more a matter of personal opinion whether you feel like you are cheating by exploiting the loop hole. In an ideal world this loop-hole wouldn't exist and the media would have a field day with you if you were resting your own players and tiring rivals, even if you're getting the right results. But it doesn't happen, so if you feel like you are cheating, then you are, and you should stop. If not, carry on and enjoy an exploit in the game.

Its not cheating but I see where you are coming from, I would be more worried about your players getting annoyed at you from being dropped from the squad.

Seems fine to me! I was Cameroon and Exeter, so didn't exactly have any Cameroonian internationals in my team!

I did that too with Arsenal and England. Had a friendly, stuck all my reserves in to keep them match fit!!

As Ryknow says the players will start to get p**ssed off with you, especially if they are regular members of the team and you are dorpping them every other game because of a few club commitments. The odd time is all right, but you will have to be careful about players not wanting to play for you if you do it too often.

IRL, you can't be managing a national team and a league club from that nation, especially a nation such as england.

Stuart Pearce did it with Man.City and England U21s