Reserve teams in Norway

I'm currently playing in Norway on FM2010, and I've come across a lot of 2 teams, as well as a 3 team.

I do feel there's a number of issues with these teams, and has been since FM2007 when I last played a lower league game in Norway.

To get the 3 team issue out of the way, Aalesund 3 had an average attendance of about 9000 in the 2nd Division Group 4. All the 2 teams get averages in the hundreds.

Onto the 2 teams, and I feel they massively underperform compared to their ability. I think it's because their reputation is set much lower than the other teams in the league, therefore the AI believes its team is massively inferior, and they play defensively all the time not ever chasing the game.

For example I played away at Tromso 2 in my final game. Tromso sent some of their first team regulars to this match (Another issue I'll get on to). Their team on paper was miles ahead of mine and should have won by a few goals. But I played 4-5-1, nicked a goal on the break early on and easily held out for a 1-0 win as they simply didn't try to put me under pressure. This isn't a one off either. I did exactly the same to them in my home match against them, and did the same to other 2 teams in the league.

Finally, as I touched on above, Tromso sent a mostly first team squad to that final match, including some players who appear regularly in the Tippeligaen for them. They still had another match a week later in the Tippeligaen, and still had something to play for. I don't know a lot about the Norwegian lower leagues, but I can't imagine such a situation occuring in real life.

This tends to happen regularly on FM when the first team doesn't have a game on the same weekend as the reserve team.

I hope SI will look at this for FM2011.

For starters there must be something wrong if you got Aalesund 3 in 2. divisjon...

Considering a 2 team isn't allowed to play at a level higher than 2. divisjon, I don't see how it's possible for a 3 team to play in the same division of its bigger brother.

[then I guess the presence of Aalesund 3 and the stellar attendence is due to double bug]

Then about the 2 teams underperforming, keep in mind they might as well be reserve teams of top-level clubs, but it doesn't necessary mean they're head and shoulders better than a club who's fielding its best possible eleven.

For the sake of argument, since 2001 just ONE 2 team has won a 2.divisjon group (1 out of 36 possible]

Finally yes it's a tad unusual having many 1st team regulars playing for the reserve team unless they're recovering from injury or needing to regain match fitness.

Basically it's (or should be) just youngsters playing in the 2 team, with very few exceptions. Said youngsters can either be former (or current) Under-19 team material or even used as First Squad backups every now and then, but the chances of seeing the Topscorer of the 1st team playing for the 2nd team are close to zero.

First and foremost because the 2 team don't "care" about the table, as they can't get promoted, so it's more about giving youngsters a solid year of experience

Thank you for your post. The Aalesund 3 thing is strange. Their 2 team plays in a reserve league, like the ones in England. I guess its because I downloaded a Norwegian 3rd Division which may have messed that up.

As for the standard of the 2 teams, in terms of ability of players on FM they're mostly too good for the 2nd Division, and should really be doing better than they are. If they played to their potential on FM they would all dominate the league.

Going by what you said, I guess the players who turn out for these teams on FM are too good. Certainly a lot of them look as though they'd benefit from atleast playing in the 1st Division.

There's not many loan deals happening in Norway on FM. I don't know whether that's the case in real life, but the AI doesn't appear to be developing their youngsters as well as they could.

Certainly the issue with the AI playing too many first teamers in these matches shouldn't be happening, as it defeats the object of having a reserve team in the league.

Thank you for your post. The Aalesund 3 thing is strange. Their 2 team plays in a reserve league, like the ones in England. I guess its because I downloaded a Norwegian 3rd Division which may have messed that up.

That probably explains a lot... I think the "glass ceiling" for 2 and 3 teams is hardcoded into the game, so the custom-made 3rd division can't replicate it properly.

As for the standard of the 2 teams, in terms of ability of players on FM they're mostly too good for the 2nd Division, and should really be doing better than they are. If they played to their potential on FM they would all dominate the league.

Going by what you said, I guess the players who turn out for these teams on FM are too good. Certainly a lot of them look as though they'd benefit from atleast playing in the 1st Division.

The thing is FM treats the Norwegian 2 teams exactly like any other reserve team, while instead it should be closer to an actual junior team.

Of course if FM sends down to the 2 team a bunch of backups/fringe players they should [and could] mop the floor with life-long 2. divisjon players... The problem is that doesn't happen in real life

Actually once a youngster has broken into the first team (even on a semi-regular basis or as a backup), the chances of sending him down to play with/against part-timers are close to zero already.

Let alone if the player is a somewhat experienced Tippeliga player...

There's not many loan deals happening in Norway on FM. I don't know whether that's the case in real life, but the AI doesn't appear to be developing their youngsters as well as they could.

Hmmm, loans are relatively few, but indeed youngsters who are above the level of 2. divisjon but not good enough to get adequate game time at the highest level can get loaned out in Adeccoligaen. But usually to farm/feeder clubs.

Certainly the issue with the AI playing too many first teamers in these matches shouldn't be happening, as it defeats the object of having a reserve team in the league.

That leads to the core of the issue...

"2" teams in Norway aren't full-fledged "reserve" teams... They play in the league system instead of having a league of their own because the players in said teams aren't "rejects" of the First Team or something like that.

Also let's not forget rosters in Norway are very slim if compared to those in other countries...

E.g. Rosenborg have 25 players in the first team, and 6 of them are junior players added to the squad due to injuries and/or as "filler".

So taking into account injuries, bad form etc, there aren't really too many backups to be dispatched to the 2 team in order to make them earn their wage

Then it's obvious, when AI managers in FM go on a shopping spree the 2nd team will inevitably turn into some some sort of dump for perennial backups and old farts...

That'd need fixing, but I doubt that'll happen anytime soon