Transfers - Who Plans ?

Every season, i try to set up a list of positions i want to strengthen, but every summer without fail i never pinpoint players.

I should be working on specific players, unsettling them, and focusing on them and maybe a backup. However this never happens, i end up nearly overhauling my squad every summer without signing any players i want.

Who sticks to their targets ? Does anyone make notes of players they want to sign in say Feb, March ?

Also whats the best plan for this, i try and do most things in June but end up still signing players in August, and signing around 8 players through the summer and having to blend again.

i always plan my summer signings a few months in advance.

i look at what positions i need to strengthen. i'll also look at who i want to get rid of.

once i know the positions i'm looking for i will then go out and draw up a short list on a bit of paper. it stops me from buying lots of average players because i'm actually doing some research.

i tend to only buy 3 top players and upto 3 youth players every season.

I plan my youngsters who I know in real life, and I also shortlist the youngsters whom my scouts recommend.

Other than that, I don't really plan. I just keep tabs on the transfer list to make sure I haven't lost out on a bargain.

I sort of reassess my squad the day each transfer window opens. I don't know if this is the right way to go about things, but I seem to be doing OK.

Yeah if i dont plan i always end up spending all my budget just for the sake and therefore i end up with players i dont need so now i plan

Instead of drawing on a piece of paer, do what i do, just add them to your shortlist . I look at my weak areas and look filter them in the search then when im happy with a player, ill go for him, if not second on the chortlist etc. I also look at youngsters from any position and ones i know in real life. I plan ho im going to get rid of and therefore need replacements for but always plan who is going out before i decide whoc coming in to avoid an overgrown squad or for specific positions.

Instead of drawing on a piece of paer, do what i do, just add them to your shortlist . I look at my weak areas and look filter them in the search then when im happy with a player, ill go for him, if not second on the chortlist etc. I also look at youngsters from any position and ones i know in real life. I plan ho im going to get rid of and therefore need replacements for but always plan who is going out before i decide whoc coming in to avoid an overgrown squad or for specific positions.

my shortlist is a dumping ground for any and every player that catches my eye regardless of how old they are or whether i need them in that poisition currently or even whether theyre actually going to be any good. there may be a few taht i thought may be good but havent reached it. there are also players who were good in a previous save but their PA has changed and they aren't that good int he current save.

its easier for me to search through my shortlist and then do another search through the main search page and write down the players i'm going for as well as having them in the shortlist.

I most certainly plan my signings depending on the tactics I want to display next season. Since I can have some players on my squad that enable my team to play in a specific and sometimes flamboyant manner if I sign certain players.

Of course the offseason plans can sometimes go to the limbo when opportunities arise. For instance, last season with Fiorentina I had a worldclass right-back regen chased by many big teams, and I managed to sell him for the modic prize of 50M euros plus a 30yr old in-his-prime Arjen Robben and a 27yrs old super midfielder Gojko Kacar to Real Madrid.

That move drove me to change my tactics system, and that was definitely nowhere near my plans, so you shouldn't be too structured when reinforcing your squad.

i always plan my summer signings a few months in advance.

i look at what positions i need to strengthen. i'll also look at who i want to get rid of.

once i know the positions i'm looking for i will then go out and draw up a short list on a bit of paper. it stops me from buying lots of average players because i'm actually doing some research.

i tend to only buy 3 top players and upto 3 youth players every season.

Thats my problem, cant help but buy average players who i may like irl, or are worth £20mil and are transfer listed for £13mil. Think as simple as it sounds a piece of paper because as you say later, my shortlist also is a sort of dumping ground for everyone n anyone who i may want.

Instead of drawing on a piece of paer, do what i do, just add them to your shortlist . I look at my weak areas and look filter them in the search then when im happy with a player, ill go for him, if not second on the chortlist etc. I also look at youngsters from any position and ones i know in real life. I plan ho im going to get rid of and therefore need replacements for but always plan who is going out before i decide whoc coming in to avoid an overgrown squad or for specific positions.

Like that too, i use this very rarely but it does work. Think im going to implement this too.

I write a list out of what positions i want to strengthen and a list of players that i want, in order of preference. This usually starts with the more unrealistic ones going down to the last resort kind of thing. Then when i have recieved my budget i put down what my scout thinks will be the minimum i could get him for and then work from that.

I also draw out my new formation and decide how the new players will fit in. I'll also look at my options in different positions and see who is not needed. It may take time and seem a little sad but it works well and brings success.

I have a shortlist of around 50 players overall, for every position , youth aswell, plus backup incase i cannot complete the signing, i buy a few the first season, then monitor the rest for the season and pick of the best performing stars.

I usually have a few scouts out scouting different regions looking for players. After a season they should have a large list of players and i will try and buy the best of them. It's a handy method as i also have the scout report to look at to see how they would fit in my squad and how they compare to my other players.

Oh this is why I have Football Manager paper!

I have a plain white sheet of paper printed out that has the team im managing badge on, faded a bit, my managers name and the word notes!

Targets, tactics, everything goes on the sheet!

God i'm sad!

Oh this is why I have Football Manager paper!

I have a plain white sheet of paper printed out that has the team im managing badge on, faded a bit, my managers name and the word notes!

Targets, tactics, everything goes on the sheet!

God i'm sad!

Haha, you can judge on league success i think. If its working your a genius, if not you may be right !

**I may well be copying**

I have my notepad which i pop 3 categories in: Outgoings (subcategories: wanted, not wanted), Incomings (positions not names) and youth players to bring through. Usually plan around march april time.

i also try to figure out how much i could receive in transfer fees and work out my transfer budget based on that.

I knew when I started my current game that I need an all round CM and an attacking CM. I knew the attacking CM I wanted and I also knew he wouldnt play enough games so he would be easy to buy, the all round CM I spent the entire season praising him and unsettling him until he requested a transfer. I signed him for £8.5 million which is around half of what he normally costs. My other target I knew I wanted played for a much smaller team than mine so I knew I would get him easily.

Haha, you can judge on league success i think. If its working your a genius, if not you may be right !

**I may well be copying**

haha! well I have had success on this game at different levels in varying in countries! It works for me!

I'll normally be aware of what positions need strengthening, and then I'll filter my short list for an appropriate player. If that doesn't work, I'll look few my scouts' reports, various "hotspots" for player production (Dutch clubs, Brazilian clubs, Barcelona and Manchester United are the first ports of call) before just using the player search.

I also prioritise the positions I want filled - no point strengthening a couple of positions that you already have reasonable players for, when you're crying out for a centre back.

Oh this is why I have Football Manager paper!

I have a plain white sheet of paper printed out that has the team im managing badge on, faded a bit, my managers name and the word notes!

Targets, tactics, everything goes on the sheet!

God i'm sad!

I do the same, except my headings and badge are self-made aka chicken scratch.

It definitely beats the in-game Notes feature.

I do the same, except my headings and badge are self-made aka chicken scratch.

It definitely beats the in-game Notes feature.

Yer, I think one of the main reasons I forget/Dont Use the note feature on the game is because it is very basic. Maybe an overhaul for future versions ?

I generally pinpoint the positions for the senior team quite well, and usually have them done before the start of the transfer window. My youth policy on the other hand is rather shambolic and I sign far too many potential starlets as I can't pass up a good bargain, ending up with virtually two or three teams worth in my reserves.

my aim is to leave myself with a first team squad of circa 20 guys..the nine backups being able to cover almost every position in the field.if i'ive a bunch of injuries,i would call some guy of the youth team..and every year i sell only the guys who demand for it or the ones who ask for a wage i don't want to give them.

so i buy expecially promising youngsters and make them train and prepare for substite the first team players leaving.if i don't have someone ready,i go on the market to buy that and only that player i need..true udinese style!