Bringing Players Back?

This is basically little observation I have made, about something that occurs in the real world but has yet to be effectivley implemented in FM. What I mean by saying 'bringing players back' is, that due to the reputation based system of transfers it seems very difficult to bring big players back to their favourite club, if that clubs' rep, or the league rep is too low.

Now I'm notsaying this happens all the time but it seems that if you are lucky enough to entice a star to come back it is usually, well, well into the twilight of their careers.

When Ronaldo decided that he no longer wanted or could play for the big european teams, he moved back home to Brazil to play for Corinthians (with sterling results I may add). Adriano similarly became disenchanted with life in Italy and Europe, and again moved back home to rekindle his love for football, this time with Flamengo. Vagner Love, after perhaps failing to adjust to life in Moscow returned to Brazil with Palmerias albeit in a loan situation. Riquelme, could have (like all the above) gone to a big club in europe following his spell at Villarreal, but wanted to play for Boca for the remainder of his career as that is where he felt at home. A european example would be Shevchenko moing back to Kiev, I'm sure he could have still made it at a good level in the France, or Germany, Portugal or even Greece, but decided he wanted to go back to his where he felt most comfortable.

Now I don't believe that with the current transfer system in FM, being so largely reliant on reputations would have allowed many of these transfers to occur. If you had been playing as any of the affore mentioned clubs, had your bid been accepted, chances are you would have got to the contract screen and seen something like;

'Player X, is not interested in a move to your club'

or

'Player X feels a move to your club would be a step backwords in his career'

But as we are seeing nowadays there is a growing trend for players (especially South American) to go back to either their old club, or countreis top League. Favourd club and the stage of the players career as well as perhaps nationality, should have a much more decisive effect on transfers. An example would be that Carlos Tevez, who recently in the news was reported to be considering retirement because he wanted to return to Argentina spend time with his family and play again for Boca his boyhood club. I always manage Boca and it would be extremely difficult to get Tevez, when his career eventually winds down to a close, although IRL he has stated he has every intention to return.

I appreciate how difficult it must be to code a game etc, but I hope little things like this could be made to happen in FM. Its aways nice to see the return of a Prodigal son, and would open up the scope for diversity in press conferences and the confiedence system.

Another point which is tied into to this, is players like Ronaldo and Riquelme, who IRL don't want to leave their respective clubs, are all to easily being transfered in FM, it isn't about the money for these players its about playing football for as long as possible, in a place they feel comfortable. But again I would imagine the reputation system overrides this and thusly the players want to move on.

I fully agree with this statement. iirc Guttuso said he wanted to play one more season for rangers before he retires. i couldnt imagine that happening on the game.

Alan Hutton another one that the club would struggle to gt back on the game yet in real life without the money problem they have hutton would likley return home.

Theres others. For example Roy Keane and Celtic. and im sure theres a few in england lower leagues too.

Another example I can think of is Paulo di Canio. IIRC he went and played for his local side in Italy Cisco Roma for a season or two a couple of years back

Another point which is tied into to this, is players like Ronaldo and Riquelme, who IRL don't want to leave their respective clubs, are all to easily being transfered in FM, it isn't about the money for these players its about playing football for as long as possible, in a place they feel comfortable. But again I would imagine the reputation system overrides this and thusly the players want to move on.

IMO reputation is far too powerful in FM when it comes to transfers and contacts (and other things), and has been for a very long time

Quite often players will move (or stay) for reasons other than money or their career

Players may choose a certain club because they are based near to their family, or because of a passion for that club or key members of the clubs' staff or first team

They may also choose to turn down a team for opposite reasons too

At the same time they may choose to remain where they are, simply because they like it there

In FM, you can sign any player without fail, providing your reputation is high enough, and you can afford both the transfer fee and the contract the player wants

You'll only fail if another team with a higher reputation comes in for the player (or some coding kicks in to "try and make things harder")

I believe the only system in place where players "might" stay is with youth contracted players, where they will turn down an offer

This was only put in place because people complained it was too easy to "poach" youths cheaply and become a superpower of football after a decade

However Ive not seen this happen in FM2010, so it may have been removed

IMO, the stats are already there to determine how a player might react to offers

And they are :- Ambition and Loyalty

If Ambition is much higher than loyalty then by all means, the current system works a for the most part

But if Loyalty is much higher than Ambition, then players should be much more inclined to stay at there current club (unless the club wants them to leave - which will require squad status to be set to "not needed"), or head towards a club in there favoured list (or a club managed/staffed by people in their favoured list)

If both are about the same, then they will be loyal like above but still favour moves that are a "step-up", unless they feel their career would be better off helping their current club improve

Shorter version =

Higher Ambition = Will do what they feel will get them as high as possible in the shortest time doable

Higher Loyalty = Will remain loyal to their club or favoured club/staff even if it causes small set-backs to their career, unless unhappy or not wanted

Both about same = Will remain loyal to a lesser degree but may try to achieve ambition with current club if possible before looking at other options

Of course, even with above, exceptions occur (like in real-life), plus people change over time, some will be less ambition/loyal while others more so

And I also agree that something needs to be put in so players are might make a "step-down" when its drawing near to the end of their career, or even if its a good option to become happy again

I think the thing with Reputation in relation to transfers is they perhaps haven't evolved at the same rate as the rest of the game. I ceraintly think it needs to be far more flexible. Perhaps have a club ambition stat. So for example say you play ina league which has a reputation of 15, if your clubs ambition matches or is greater then that of an older/unhappy player he will be open to the move, and if your club is on his favoured clubs list he will more likely then not sign.

I see your point here it's something that would be a good idea. Perhaps they could add a part to their bio stating countries that they would prefer to play in aswell or likelyness of the player moving to another country as some players will most likely never play abroad or play in certain counties I also think this should include managers to

Something else to remember also

In FM, Beckham would have never moved to the US, but as we all know, he did in real life

Basically, another thing that is often lost out due to the power of reputation, quite afew older players who used to be top stars, not only head back to boyhood teams, but also head out into lower reputation countries (such as USA) because of wages offered or their desire to improve football in said country, or even be in a league that they can still play in regularly

Also, some will show a desire to go a favoured team as staff (though tbh, this is already represented to a degree in FM)

Well case in point just finishedmy first season with boca won everything, and Riquelme puts in a transfer request to go to a bigger club. I honestly dont believe he would activley seek out a move from the team that nurtured his talent as a young player and one he returned to as an older one.

So I checked his stast in the editor and his loyalty is 20, but his ambition is 18, surely a player at 32 who is playing for his favoured club, and has a loyalty rating of 20 wouldn't hand in a transfer request, its like Giggs handing one in at Utd.

I fully agree with the OPs idea on this. Loyalty and favoured clubs needs to have a higher precedence over club reputation. Also I've seen a lot of funny things happen in the game such as players like Raul leaving to play for a spanish team in the second division when he got too old for madrid, player loyalty simply doesn't seem to mean as much in the game as it should.