How to deal with youth?

I'm now into my 4th season, and I have 31 youth players! Every year, more come into the club than go out, and as a small club, I don't feel I can pay off their contracts, which always start at 2 years and would cost 200-500 quid each to pay off, which is up to £15,500! The majority of them are completely useless with most of their stats on 1-3 and the ones I've had for a bit haven't improved. They're becoming a right drain on the team.

These players are on 5 quid a week, not much, but it accounts for how much I am over my wage bill. How does anyone out there deal with youth players? Would you just get rid straight away, take the financial kick in the gut, or wait until their contracts are up?

Youth players are paid by youth grants. Have you assigned your assistant to handle youth contracts? If you have, he may be signing players you don't want to pre-contracts. I suggest you turn this off in team settings.

Also if you dont want them but feel you cant afford the termination fee try offering them out to other clubs for nothing.

I have a scout with 19 ratings for judging current and future ability and I have used him to acquire almost an entire team, across all positions, of kinds who "have potential to be first team regulars" in the future.

I then loaded up on coaches and youth coaches with high stat ratings and by the time the youngsters get to an age where they are better than my current players, they are at best rated "good players".

Is this normal or am I missing a fairly substantial part of developing young players? There seems no incentive to bring kids on over buying high price players instead.

I have a scout with 19 ratings for judging current and future ability and I have used him to acquire almost an entire team, across all positions, of kinds who "have potential to be first team regulars" in the future.

I then loaded up on coaches and youth coaches with high stat ratings and by the time the youngsters get to an age where they are better than my current players, they are at best rated "good players".

Is this normal or am I missing a fairly substantial part of developing young players? There seems no incentive to bring kids on over buying high price players instead.

Did you ever have any of them tutored? Did you give them first team action and use good training schedules like Tug's or Darkstarr's?

Youth League or Reserve League won't benefit good prospects past the age of 18-19.

Or at least not as much as some sparse appearence in First Team matches.

I had a couple of 3* PA kids over last seasons' youth intake, kept them playing in the U19 team, where they steamrolled the competition (won every game but two, conceding 3 goals in the whole season), yet when they got promoted in the Reserve Team at age 19-20 they were nowhere near their original Potential, having become 2*, 2.5* at best.

Other younger players, who were good enough for cup matches and for easy home games, got a bunch of caps with the First Team and developed much better.

But also, if you're good at 17 for top divison football, odds are you've more potential than another kid who's not ready yet...

Basically Youth players are a huge gamble unless you stumble across a REALLY TALENTED one. Regular ones can turn out just fine, but the chance for a failure are higher, just like real life

Thanks for all this guys.

I couldn't use the training schedules as my team is part-time, unfortunately. I did have my Assistant doing the contracts the first season but as as soon as I realised I sorted that out. I will try offering to clubs, but am preeeeeeeeetty certain they're so *r*p I won't get any offers.

Of the thirty-one, only 3 are good enough to even sit on the bench...and even then that's only cos I have to have 2 under-19's on the bench in a league match. In fact, when a cup match says I can only have 3 players on the bench, I just drop the u19 players!

I have just won a serious (for this level) amount of prize money (£261,000) and am in line for about the same this year, so I think I might just take the kick in the guts and moooooooooooove em on. After I've tried flogging em off lol

Did you ever have any of them tutored? Did you give them first team action and use good training schedules like Tug's or Darkstarr's?

Yes, I tried having them tutored several times, I blooded them in first team action via the cups and I also sent them out on loan to teams who assured first team action.

They improve, but they go from being "the new Zidane" level potential to "fairly good". Still gives me a solid squad but no superstars. Is this par for the course or am I just fluffing the training aspect?

I have a scout with 19 ratings for judging current and future ability and I have used him to acquire almost an entire team, across all positions, of kinds who "have potential to be first team regulars" in the future.

I then loaded up on coaches and youth coaches with high stat ratings and by the time the youngsters get to an age where they are better than my current players, they are at best rated "good players".

Is this normal or am I missing a fairly substantial part of developing young players? There seems no incentive to bring kids on over buying high price players instead.

Firstly, the reports are a guide. They are relative to your squad. Also, age is taken into account when a player's potential is estimated.

You need to put the reports into perspective. At the level you're at, they are almost useless. Look at the attributes. At lower levels, I find they can be good for getting to grips with what "good" is, but it's much easier at the top level as you just need to look for 15+s. However, they are the only way of gauging potential. Keep the player's age in account, and personality, determination and work rate. Coupled with the report, you have an idea of how good they will be.