MLS Help

I have never managed in this league before but now want to. I have chose NYRB to make it easy but I really need help as I dont understand the draft picking ect. Can some kind people help me by describing all the different things you have to do that you dont in the EPL.

EDIT: I mean things like the draft, the roster, Generation Adidas and stuff

Have a look in the good player and team guide there might be something in there.

I have never managed in this league before but now want to. I have chose NYRB to make it easy but I really need help as I dont understand the draft picking ect. Can some kind people help me by describing all the different things you have to do that you dont in the EPL.

EDIT: I mean things like the draft, the roster, Generation Adidas and stuff

Ok lets start with contracts:

1) Senior contract - This is what most of your players will be on.

2) DP contract - Reserved for a special star player (eg Beckham). You start with one but you may have 0 or two places depending on trades. Only a portion of the wages counts towards the wage limit.

3) Development contract - Given to young players U23, set wages but they don't count towards the wage limit.

4) GA contract - Special contract given by the MLS to the best 10-15 players in the draft. Wages are set by the league and you take over their contract when they sign for you, they don't count towards the wage limit either.

Next squad rules:

1) Max of 20 senior players in a squad (DP + senior contracts).

2) Max of 24 total players in a squad (which means in a 24 man squad at least 4 need to be on a GA or development contract).

3) Stay under the wage limit (Senior contracts + a portion of DP contracts)

4) Internationals places - Any player who hasn't got a USA nationality is classed as an international player. You are limited to the number you can have and these places can be traded between teams so check your squad screen for your limit.

During the off-season the squad rules don't count and you can have as many players as you want.

The draft happens in January with 125 amateur players selected for it and you get a pick in each of the four rounds unless they have been traded away/traded in. Some players can be scouted in advance while there are 2-3 matches in early January between some of the draft players.

If you draft players with a GA contract you take over the contract otherwise you negotiate with them (99.9% of the time they'll accept development contracts).

Before the season starts you need to cut your squad to fit the rules above, anyone not given a squad number is waived (like a free transfer). Then follows the waiver draft which includes all the players cut (teams don't normally select anyone from this draft as squads are already in place).

During the season if you sign anyone you immediately need to give them a squad number, waiving another player if you need to to stay within the squad rules.

Probably should also mention transfers:

Any transfers out of the MLS usually mean the league take a % of the fee (33%?)

You don't have a transfer budget, you get an allocation fund instead. Transfers between MLS teams can also include player, draft picks, international slots & DP slots as well as money.

Ok lets start with contracts:

1) Senior contract - This is what most of your players will be on.

2) DP contract - Reserved for a special star player (eg Beckham). You start with one but you may have 0 or two places depending on trades. Only a portion of the wages counts towards the wage limit.

3) Development contract - Given to young players U23, set wages but they don't count towards the wage limit.

4) GA contract - Special contract given by the MLS to the best 10-15 players in the draft. Wages are set by the league and you take over their contract when they sign for you, they don't count towards the wage limit either.

Next squad rules:

1) Max of 20 senior players in a squad (DP + senior contracts).

2) Max of 24 total players in a squad (which means in a 24 man squad at least 4 need to be on a GA or development contract).

3) Stay under the wage limit (Senior contracts + a portion of DP contracts)

4) Internationals places - Any player who hasn't got a USA nationality is classed as an international player. You are limited to the number you can have and these places can be traded between teams so check your squad screen for your limit.

During the off-season the squad rules don't count and you can have as many players as you want.

The draft happens in January with 125 amateur players selected for it and you get a pick in each of the four rounds unless they have been traded away/traded in. Some players can be scouted in advance while there are 2-3 matches in early January between some of the draft players.

If you draft players with a GA contract you take over the contract otherwise you negotiate with them (99.9% of the time they'll accept development contracts).

Before the season starts you need to cut your squad to fit the rules above, anyone not given a squad number is waived (like a free transfer). Then follows the waiver draft which includes all the players cut (teams don't normally select anyone from this draft as squads are already in place).

During the season if you sign anyone you immediately need to give them a squad number, waiving another player if you need to to stay within the squad rules.

Probably should also mention transfers:

Any transfers out of the MLS usually mean the league take a % of the fee (33%?)

You don't have a transfer budget, you get an allocation fund instead. Transfers between MLS teams can also include player, draft picks, international slots & DP slots as well as money.

Thanks very much Cougar, you have just made American life so much easier for me. All I needed and more

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Any transfers out of the MLS usually mean the league take a % of the fee (33%?)

I'm not sure about the real MLS, but for FM you're correct - it's 33%.

I'm not sure about the real MLS, but for FM you're correct - it's 33%.

It is that way as well in real life with the exception being if a team sells a player that they developed in their academy then only 25% is taken out

It is that way as well in real life with the exception being if a team sells a player that they developed in their academy then only 25% is taken out

Thanks for that. Does it ever fluctuate like salary caps usually do, or is it just a static percentage?

(I should know this stuff, but in my defense, I've never had a drive to follow MLS prior to having a home team - so this is basically year one for me actually caring )

Selling Academy players and DP players (and the amount MLS takes) is a rule change implemented for 2010, so they don't show up in FM10. In FM10 the league takes 33% of all transfers.

And as I said elsewhere in every other MLS topic- if you plan on playing in the league for multiple seasons you'll need to download FMRTE. Otherwise the draft -though improved over past versions- still isn't sufficient to build up your team. Focus on the GA players and give them attributes from 90-110 CA(depending on age) and PA's between 125-145, and you should ensure that you acquire at least one good player from each year's draft. I've also seen the odd non-GA player come through with a PA of 150+ but I wouldn't rely on such gems. I'm in 2015 in my game, and each year I keep one GA player and one or two draft picks on my team from the last draft. The non-GA players are there for depth, mainly, as they aren't really good enough to keep around, but the GA players can be excellent investments. Just sold my GA RB for $8 million+ after 3 outstanding years.

Oh, forgot to mention that the MLS salary cap doesn't increase in FM10. Hopefully this will change for FM11 as the new labor contract calls for an annual 5% increase. Look out world, by 2080 MLS will be along the lines of a second-tier European league!!!