What are the reasons you sign old players ?

Hey guys, I was just wondering if there are people silly enough like me to sign 33-4-5 old players who are a world-known name or at least you know them pretty well.

I always seem to do that nevermind how expensive their wage is.

The reason? - I spam them to become coaches and remain in the game because I don't want to live in a pure newgen/regen world

How about you?

I never sign players who are over 32.

I like to buy experienced players as tutors, they last longer in Italy too.

Occaisionally I buy older players in the lower leagues, but only as a short term measure to cover a position I am short in. They never last more than one season.

Because anyone of quality that's under 35 years of age are rather difficult to sign to an MLS team...

I like to buy experienced players as tutors, they last longer in Italy too.

Why is that?

Why is that?

The game is played at a slower pace and teams are generally much older than in most other European leagues. It might be down to better fitness practices extending players' careers. I don't know if that is the case in the game though.

Yep I do sometimes, for the reason you mentioned about having them as coaches.

when i first start at a club, i usually look to offload any over 30s and try to replace them with younger alternatives. mainly just so i can generate as much funds possible for the player straight away and im not lumbered with a bench warming, high earning bench-warmer.

however, if i see world class 30+ players up for grabs who i think can improve my side i wont rule out bringing them in. experience can prove vital, espescially if your short on quality, funds and players in the lower leagues. after all,

"many a fair tune is played on an old fiddle. espescially in an indian summer"

If its a world class name, sometimes i bring them in, just so they are in my team, and i can say they have played for me. On my current game messi is 34, his physical stats are all around 11, yet i still want him in my team. Because he is Messi.

Also they are great at developing young players.

I'm glad I'm not alone then

Tell me this though - how do you decide if the mentor is right for the student? Which stats/traits do you look up before deciding to start the tutoring?

As a tutor ideally, that's the reason for me now, unless it's.... "Come on, oh yes! It's famous player you've always liked, and regret to buy them.

I have made so many foolish mistakes, sigining some veterans who were appalling.

Something like an Oldie-Goldie vs Oldie-Crappy list from personal experience like..

Villa(34) Ribery(33) vs Berbatov(35), Ibrahimovic(35) from my current game

bought a few for the sake of it just because they are worth nothing and sometimes still play well and sometimes to tutor the youth

If you get them at around 31/32 they tend to still be a big enough name to increase your rep, still able to put in a shift as a first team palyer and are great at tutoring as well as going on to be staff.

Any later than that it's a trade off against their wage demands, as some are just ridiculous.

I like to have atleast 1 or 2 players 30+ in my team. It gives the youth a chance to learn how it's done from the experienced players.

i only have keepers over 30 with guest loanees from top clubs as back up.

ido have penchant for older women, and i belive this contributes in some way to my dads army esque teams. avg age round 30. my money goes on good peak players, rest is old men!

I only sign players over 28 if its a GK. Over 30 if its a backup or a good free transfer GK. And I tend to sell players over 30 again unless its a backup GK. Although in one of my saves Dzeko is 32 and still scoring about 30 goals a season and his wage demands are going down so I'm going to keep him as he wants to retire with the club and his contract runs out soon anyways. But he is the only exception I've made in a while. Otherwise I like to cash out on old players. I refuse to be Sir Alex Ferguson and keep players like Neville and Scholes on high wages that rarely play.

I regularly sign older players, though only if I'm playing as a team with limited funds and a need for some experience. I like to develop younger players, however this takes time and when you're ambitious signing players between 28-32 can really help in providing a stop-gap solution. I must add that I can't recall ever paying a fee for anyone over 30, most of my captures are as free transfers.

I like to sign the real R9

He usually does pretty good too

The regens/youth system is my favorite aspect of the game. I hardly ever sign a player over 24.

I like to sign the real R9

He usually does pretty good too

Do you succeed in making him stay in the game ?

I don't sign anyone older than 28.

Ah you ageists don't know what you're missing out on

I do not like buying players I cannot make a profit on.

I am like Wenger.

what? you have a face like a wrinkled prune?? ha ha

Usually only if I can't afford to sign a young player of the same quality.

Although in my Newcastle game, I've signed Henry on a free at the age of 33, and he's made a promising start, also Eidur Gudjonnson, who's played ok so far as well.

In the lower-leagues, just because its great fun and it can be pretty effective. Its got harder to do as the games have got, well more realistic, but having an injury-plauged 37 year old Juninho running the Rushden and Diamond's midfield is quite a sight.

Certain posistions aren't as affected by aging either; defensive midfielders, certain types of striker, so you can sign a 32 year old and get three or four good seasons out of him. Again more effective in the lower-leagues usually. Actually, another time I use them is if I've got promoted: you can usualy get a few proven older players at that level for decent money, maybe out of contract, which is reassurance to me if nothing else when compared to a squad who have by in large never played there before. Considering that happens quite a lot in real life as well, I always thought that is something that could be better reflected in the game.

I sign older players for tutoring, tutoring goes well, everyone loves me and makes motivating/keeping players easier

i always buy players under the age of 25 (26 at most). i usually go for young players (20-23) who will develop at my club. i will keep them if they are very good and still performing until their 31st year tops and then sell them.

I never sign players who are over 32.

I never pay transfer fees for these players

but truth be told the only one ive ever signed was C.Ronaldo at 34 coming out of contract at Real

in the lower leagues I do it fairly often, especially at positions that might not require a lot of pace / acceleration / agility (like defensive midfielder, goalkeeper, 2nd striker, etc.).

I always have a check of their natural fitness - high stat tends to mean a prolonged career in my experience.

For example, I've signed Grahame Alexander for my Falkirk team. He's 39, and still able to play two games a week and put in a pretty decent shift. I've also signed a 35yr old Ghana international who has simply been a rock at def midfield and certainly played an important part.

It seems to me that the stat decline has been fixed - only those players who don't get played often seem to lose their stats quickly. I think this is the issue people most associate with older players - but I think its more a psychological thing. I imagine most experiences go like this - sign 30+ yr player, think "I'll use them sporadically as back up", no playing time = decrease in CA, decrease in CA = even less chance of a game, player ends up getting little playing time and manager ends up thinking older players are useless.

I find they are less useful as backup, but very useful if you've got a position that needs filling (that's what she said).

I think it depends on the player really. So I don't make hard and fast rules about not buying older players.

I bought a 34 year Juliano Belletti as cover for RB, but he was so good, he claimed it as his own, played nearly every game of the season and finished with 7.20 average rating. It was the best 300k I've spent.

i do this as a last resort. however sometimes they can be very useful. especially tecnichal player or good at set piece . for example david beckham. although he is very old. he can score from distance and free-kicks.

In the lower leagues older players are invaluable. They're dirt cheap for one thing. My promoted Cambridge side had 5 first choice players over 35.

Professionalism is generally regarded as the most important attribute in determining pace of youth development, so players whose personality description suggests that is high, ie Model Pro, Pro, Spirited, Resolute. If I could ever find a model citizen then I would pay anything at any age to sign him - think of the next batch of youth!

The cheap price has got to be the main factor. You can pick up some top players in their mid 30's for a season or 2 and pay virtually nothing.

Not every player in the team needs his physical attributes. If I just like the player sometimes I will sign/keep him in for nostalgia. After a ten year career game, I ended up at Liverpool with Stevie G still there at 39 or something. Still had all his mentral attributes but was not good enough for Prem, but I still insisted on giving him his cameo role! Kalinichenko at 34 or so for his impact with freekicks. They lose physical attributes firstly so they most likely won't play ninety minutes but as a backup defender, or striker if they are a poacher type I see no problem if they are cheap.

I try and keep most of my squad under 30 but sometimes if it is a world class name, they can still add to the squad. And they do become good tutors and coaches.

i never buy anyone at that age but when i moved to Swansea in League 2 a 38 year old Alan Smith was essential.

I sign them for one reason experience, they know how to win games and can lead a side. At the moment George Boateng is the heart of my Hull side playing i think 41 games over the season, while Nick Barmby also plays a big part in things.

Age isn't an issue for me, player quality is

As said, crucial in the lower leagues. For me the main reason is the mental attributes. They're the most important category but at LL level most players have 1s or little more, so a couple of smart wrinklies makes all the difference.

Oldies are an ESSENTIAL buy in the lower divisions, particularly EC foreigners . They more or less easily have the best attributes, and if they remain more or less injury free, are the difference between just getting a promotion, or trying for an unbeaten season.

You can't beat a bit of experience. In my Villa save I had Petrov (Stiliyan (sp?)) playing 1st team to the age of 34 and he was my captain. Because I'm sentimental I kept him around in the reserves, midway through the following season we were strugglinmg for form. It was then I recalled the then 35 year old warhorse back to the first team, in a game we won and he scored...

Sometimes the old ones really are the best.

yes but only the worlds best ones, like ronaldinho, Beckham, Ronaldo Luís Nazário, Bellamy

yes but only the worlds best ones, like ronaldinho, Beckham, Ronaldo Luís Nazário, Bellamy

Total rubbish. Not everyone manages Manchester United.

Read what I and plenty others have written in this thread. Lower/Non-league managers don't bring in the Beckhams and Ronaldos. We bring in old warhorses who've never played league football but still do a sterling job.

Total rubbish. Not everyone manages Manchester United.

Read what I and plenty others have written in this thread. Lower/Non-league managers don't bring in the Beckhams and Ronaldos. We bring in old warhorses who've never played league football but still do a sterling job.

Exactly...

Every team needs different things from their older players. More often than not it's experience and leadership more than a big reputation.

I prefer to actually have players in my squad of mature ages (around 35) but only if they've been with the club for many seasons after I signed them as a younger player. For example I kept Mamadou Sakho starting every game from his 20 yrs old until he was 35. He racked up so many appearances and his mental attributes made up for his rather lacking pace (he was still very strong at 35 however)

I am unhappy actually payingfor older players, I prefer to let players become old at my club.

Oldies are an ESSENTIAL buy in the lower divisions, particularly EC foreigners . They more or less easily have the best attributes, and if they remain more or less injury free, are the difference between just getting a promotion, or trying for an unbeaten season.

I can understand your point, but i've managed fine without signing oldies. I use the ones that are there at the club already, if they're good enough. But i don't sign any.

Although i have to say that i've been managing in Brazil though. Don't know if it's a bit different there compared to other countries.