MLS Management (Help Needed)

Is there a guide or anything for managing in the MLS?

I read somewhere that the structure is different to what we're used to in Europe and wanted to research about how everything works instead of diving straight in.

Cheers,

Brad

I would wait till next years game. The rules of MLS have changed in 2010, the actual year not FM10, which will make playing in the MLS more enjoyable. European players are not used to all the restrictions in signing players and such and no youth academies and actually scouting for a draft. However, that said, it is fun and being able to trade players instead of player for cash deals are enjoyable

I would wait till next years game. The rules of MLS have changed in 2010, the actual year not FM10, which will make playing in the MLS more enjoyable. European players are not used to all the restrictions in signing players and such and no youth academies and actually scouting for a draft. However, that said, it is fun and being able to trade players instead of player for cash deals are enjoyable

Trust me- neither are Americans. MLS's rules are weird.

Yeah cuz when I started I was going through my team looking to trim the fat... and lets face it, in America there's plenty to trim, metaphoricly and literally! Went to release players but couldnt. The only option was to add to designated player spot or something. Have since found the MLS trading rules... weird. And annoying because of the restrictions, but good at the same time because it forces you to buy crap players instead of having a team of world beaters costing squillions in transfer fees and players wages.

I'm an American and none of the rules seem all that weird to me. And you can release players, you "Waive" them. That releases them from your team, the only effective difference is that other MLS clubs can - if they want to - immediately take on his current contract. Like say I waive Bob Midfielder who is on a 3 year, $30,000 a year contract. If someone else in MLS could use him they claim him off waivers and he keeps his 3 year, $30,000 a year contract with his new club. If no one in MLS wants the player he "clears" waivers and can renegotiate a contract with any club - in or out of MLS.

A third or so of the way into the season though you'll pass a "contract guarantee date" which means even if you waive a player beyond that point that $30,000 would still count against your salary cap as if he was still on your team for the rest of that season. So get your team straight before that date happens. It's kind of like a registration window that closes.

This reflects the idea that the players are owned by the league as a whole first, then 'assigned' to a team. That is the basic thing you have to keep in mind when managing MLS. MLS is one entity with franchises that share players. That's why there's a draft to distribute youth talent, that's why there's a waiver wire, that's why players can be traded "straight up" for each other. Keep that in mind and the rules start to make sense.

Download the FM North America EDT though, it adds a lot of lower league American teams (including tons of colleges and universities where most American youth players still come from - not soccer academies) and really improves the quality of players in the draft.

I'm an American and none of the rules seem all that weird to me. And you can release players, you "Waive" them. That releases them from your team, the only effective difference is that other MLS clubs can - if they want to - immediately take on his current contract. Like say I waive Bob Midfielder who is on a 3 year, $30,000 a year contract. If someone else in MLS could use him they claim him off waivers and he keeps his 3 year, $30,000 a year contract with his new club. If no one in MLS wants the player he "clears" waivers and can renegotiate a contract with any club - in or out of MLS.

A third or so of the way into the season though you'll pass a "contract guarantee date" which means even if you waive a player beyond that point that $30,000 would still count against your salary cap as if he was still on your team for the rest of that season. So get your team straight before that date happens. It's kind of like a registration window that closes.

This reflects the idea that the players are owned by the league as a whole first, then 'assigned' to a team. That is the basic thing you have to keep in mind when managing MLS. MLS is one entity with franchises that share players. That's why there's a draft to distribute youth talent, that's why there's a waiver wire, that's why players can be traded "straight up" for each other. Keep that in mind and the rules start to make sense.

Download the FM North America EDT though, it adds a lot of lower league American teams (including tons of colleges and universities where most American youth players still come from - not soccer academies) and really improves the quality of players in the draft.

A+ post. Maybe I'll give that database a try. You wouldn't happen to know if they have West Virginia University on there do you?

Yep, the Mountaineers are there

can you play as them by chance?

Yep, if you load the league. Here's the link: http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=201026

They did great work!

sweet, I may actually play 2 saves for once. Thanks a lot.