"Would break our wage structure"

This message drives me nuts!! It comes after I tried to sign some players with Vauxhall Motors. If my offers are going to break the wage structure, then shouldn't the game NOT allow me to offer contracts to these players. Honestly, I have no idea how things like this make it through beta testing. I mean, I see it once and I think, "Well, that needs correcting", so how can the programmers not see this? Totally wrecked that game for me as I just couldn't get into it after that.

No, not really there have been occasions where a manager has earmarked a player and has gone as far as getting an acceptable fee and contract discussed and the chairman/owner coming back and saying "You know, his wages are £x over our current highest player, we can't be having that, pull out". An example would be half the players any Aston Villa manager wanted to sign when Doug Ellis was in charge, although the club eventually went and put an official wage ceiling.

Remember too in the game you are the one doing all the negotiating, so I would imagine that the board might not see the wages offered until he agrees to sign and step in then.

Additionally, the board wont know what the player wants before you make the contract offer to the player.

Interestingly, how close are you to your wage budget? If your close to it, and a new signing would take you over it, then what do you expect? It would be a bit reckless of the chairman to risk the clubs financial security, especially as it will be his money your playing with.

Surely the board should know during contract negotiations? I can't imagine they remain in the dark until all that is needed is their john hancock.

Ranbir, exactly. Wouldn't it affect a club's reputation with potential signings if their board was so uninvolved that they didn't know until the last minute what money was being offered. You'd think one of those "Directors of Football" clubs have in the game might step in and say, "Sorry, skipper, but there's not enough in the kitty for that."