Keeping players happy. =/

As everybody knows we need atleast 2 teams in a squad. So a player for each position and then back-up possibly a young star in the making or an older veteran whoknows his way around the pitch like second nature. Anyway i seem to have a problem with this, the players who i try to give 15 games a season just aren't happy but they aren't worthy of first team place week in week out. But to make it worse if i get rid of them i won't have cover. So any suggestions? thanks

I can only tell you what I do to deal with unhappiness.

I keep a small squad 20 to 22, 4-5 of which are youngsters who are willing to play less games. I do this with clubs ranging from EPL-League 2 and it's worked well for me so far.

On 08 a had a team of 22 players who were good enough to walk into the first team. I just rotated them the best I could concentrating on form more than anything else. If a player played well (7 minimum) I'd play him the next week if not he'd be dropped. I did get a couple of "wants more first team football", but these people weren't performing so I didn't mind letting them go.

Thanks bardock , i have a squad of 23 with 4 youngsters. But i'm Manchester City with 4 or 5 strikers and playing 3 up front. So that seems the problem. They are all becoming happy slowly. It seems they are more annoyed at my sale of swp =/ ohwell thanks anyway pal.

Thanks bardock , i have a squad of 23 with 4 youngsters. But i'm Manchester City with 4 or 5 strikers and playing 3 up front. So that seems the problem. They are all becoming happy slowly. It seems they are more annoyed at my sale of swp =/ ohwell thanks anyway pal.

OOO bad decision. I bought him once because I needed 1 more English player for the Champ League. He slowly became the best player in my Liverpool team. It seemed like he had an assist every game with a goal every 3.

I don't usually use two teams nowadays - I use 1 and a half plus youngsters, with most capable of playing in multiple positions.

For example, all my wingers can play in attacking midfield and I've retrained my creative strikers to be attacking midfielders as well. Two of my wingers are backup fullbacks and work best with few defensive duties. Helps with keeping everyone happy.

I don't usually use two teams nowadays - I use 1 and a half plus youngsters, with most capable of playing in multiple positions.

For example, all my wingers can play in attacking midfield and I've retrained my creative strikers to be attacking midfielders as well. Two of my wingers are backup fullbacks and work best with few defensive duties. Helps with keeping everyone happy.

easier to have players who cover at least 2-3 positions

normally a squad size depends on your tactics, if you play 3 striker up front you definitely need 1-2 very good reserve who you rotate , and maybe 1-2 youngsters so you'll have around 6-7 strikers in the first team, if you play Barca style with a lone striker upfront 3 strikers in the squad is more then enough. In the premier league it's easier to rotate players, basically you play every 4 days or so, and there are plenty of opportunities to give them play time.