'Has Personal Problems'

I've got a pretty talented youth player who is in his second year at the club but he's always got personal problems. He's been allowed leave of absence six times now and every time he has come back saying his homesickness is over, even though he's a local lad. He won't negotiate new contracts, although I have been able to get him to sign a new one with a hefty pay rise. I've also had him tutored by an older player which went well but didn't help his problems.

Anyway, my question is: is there anything else I can do to help him or is he always going to be like this?

I always have trouble with this and eventually sell them if they dont get over it. However I have never had this problem with a local lad.

I always have trouble with this and eventually sell them if they dont get over it. However I have never had this problem with a local lad.

I don't really want to sell him as he could be an important part of my future, and if he's not happy at his hometown club where will he be happy?

I don't really want to sell him as he could be an important part of my future, and if he's not happy at his hometown club where will he be happy?

I suppose are you playing him reguarly.

I suppose are you playing him reguarly.

When he's available he's my first choice in his position, I'm at the end of March and he's played 25 games this season.

I don't really want to sell him as he could be an important part of my future, and if he's not happy at his hometown club where will he be happy?

He'll never be an important part when he is always unhappy or on a leave of absence.

Cut your losses and find an alternative IMO.

He'll never be an important part when he is always unhappy or on a leave of absence.

Cut your losses and find an alternative IMO.

That's my problem, I'm building a squad made up entirely of youth products and he's really my only hope in his position.

Will he always be like this then?

That's my problem, I'm building a squad made up entirely of youth products and he's really my only hope in his position.

Will he always be like this then?

Porbably, just cut your losses as Cougar says. Six leave of absences are Stephen Ireland level of porblems, soon you'll have fake granny deaths and girlfriend miscarriages, all because hes a bit insecure about his hair.

The weird thing is that the squad don't seem to be suffering as a result of it, in fact they are playing better than last season despite selling four of my best players. Squad harmony is currently at 88%.

If I hang on to him is there any chance he will get better?

There should be. With FM10 I have my fair share of good players who are still unsettled because they cannot settle in their new country. One I`ve given about 6 times a 'Leave of Absence', but he never improved and eventually got problems again. In the end I decided not to give him any 'Leave of absence' anymore and kept him in the team feeling down and such, but in about 1.5 years he actually learned the language (basic) and he seems to settle well now.

Of course it doesn`t fully compare for you, seeing how you got a local one, but I don`t feel the 'Leave of absence'-option is doing anything good for them. I have the feeling it`s only a short-term solution as they will get down after a little while anyway. The only thing which worked for me was keeping him around and try to play him as often as possible. It took me a little over 2 years until he settled though, but I feel he won`t settle anytime faster if you let him go home. Considering you already have him in his second year, it would be a waste to give up though - especially if it might take him a little over 2 years, just like mine did.

That sounds good, at least there sounds like there is a chance of him having a future at the club. Maybe I'll try keeping him at the club next time.

Another advantage of keeping him at the club: training. When he`s gone, he doesn`t train, whereas he can still train (and improve) when he`s not going anywhere. I noted his stats still go up when training, despite him being down.

That's a pretty good reason to keep him actually as he's only 17 and has a long way to go.

I had a striker who couldn't settle, I decided not to give him a leave of abscence and after two years he announced he'd settled.

I had a striker who couldn't settle, I decided not to give him a leave of abscence and after two years he announced he'd settled.

you must find a player wich country is like your striker

This brings up a good point, hopefully FM11 fixes it. Why is it when a player is unsettled, you give them leave, they come back and say I'm all better coach. But they aren't all better, they are still unsettled until it just goes away completely. So what exactly is the point of the leave? I'm sure it's just broken but come on, it's plain as day.

Anyway, I'm going to agree with everyone else, if it's been 2 seasons and he's still not better drop him. I've never had a player go more then year with that issue.

Edit: @heathxxx, yeah I'm not going to bother with leave for players any more, it never changes their state. If they play good with it I keep them and drool over how they will play after they get better, if they don't play well I'll try to move them.

Dafuge, have you tried not giving him so much leave of absence?

I had a player who was homesick, couldn't settle, was a general pain in the bum.

After two leave of absence were given, he still had problems. I just let him moan for the rest of the season and kept playing him. The following season, he was settled and all was fine.

If your player keeps this up after a season, only then would I consider moving him on.

Dafuge, have you tried not giving him so much leave of absence?

No, I've always thought that giving him a leave of absence would be sensible way to deal with him, giving him the best chance to sort himself out.

I'm going to keep hold of him now, he's contracted for a few more years so I can afford to try it out now.

It is indeed the most sensible one, but apparently not the best. It may just as well be broken, but at least I don`t use it anymore.

But I`m interested to know how long it takes before your lad settles. Could you let us know to see if it is indeed within the range?

It is indeed the most sensible one, but apparently not the best. It may just as well be broken, but at least I don`t use it anymore.

But I`m interested to know how long it takes before your lad settles. Could you let us know to see if it is indeed within the range?

Certainly.

It seems to be every few months so I'll se how he gets on with the start of the new season.

I've got a similar issue, albeit mine is with a player I've bought from abroad. I signed a young French striker from Barcelona, who's struggled to settle (although I suppose Derby after Barcelona must be a culture shock!). I thought that I'd signed another player from Barcelona at the same time might have helped, but no.

I've got a similar issue, albeit mine is with a player I've bought from abroad. I signed a young French striker from Barcelona, who's struggled to settle (although I suppose Derby after Barcelona must be a culture shock!). I thought that I'd signed another player from Barcelona at the same time might have helped, but no.

A road I`ve experienced as well. I had 2 Columbian players and 3 from Argentina, but despite one of each settling, the others didn`t. And there are plenty of players in the team who speak Spanish by now, so it`s not like they cannot understand anyone, or need someone from their country to settle better.

So far i have only had one youngster have problems with being unsettled. I to gave him leave of absenses, whach did not work, so a asked him to give me the names of some of his favorate scouts, coaches, and playing staff. As he was a midfielder, I also gave him training with my best Midfielder which seemed to work because withing 2 months he was happy and settled, and he has not looked back since.

Hope this helps a little and good luck with him.

England4Ever

He's just become unsettled again, so this time I'm going to keep hold of him and see what happens.

Hopefully this is an area that the interaction re-vamp will deal with.

I would persevere, hopefully as he begins to settle in and feel more integral to yoyr plans he will sort himself out . Maybe put him under thetutorleage of a senior player with professional./leadership attributes? What is is personality like?

I would persevere, hopefully as he begins to settle in and feel more integral to yoyr plans he will sort himself out . Maybe put him under thetutorleage of a senior player with professional./leadership attributes? What is is personality like?

He is 'resolute', which seems a bit ironic. I've already tried the tutoring, it went well but didn't make a difference to his problems.

Sounds very odd. Like most of the people posting here I have only ever experienced foreign players having issues settling in - not home grown talent.

If he is really that good then its worth keeping. Its only if he disrupts others that I would cosnider axing him.

Sounds very odd. Like most of the people posting here I have only ever experienced foreign players having issues settling in - not home grown talent.

If he is really that good then its worth keeping. Its only if he disrupts others that I would cosnider axing him.

He's good, but not amazing. Saying that though, he's my best option on the right wing so I really need to keep him for now. The weird thing is that none of my other players seem bothered by it and he's playing really well. In his last match he scored twice and was named man of the match.

Not sending him on leave already looks like a good move, I just hope he can sort himself out.

Fingers crossed. Any chance we can see a screenshot of him?

Fingers crossed. Any chance we can see a screenshot of him?

Sure, here he is.

he looks good - I would certainly want to keep him.....although having followed your tales from Tooting and Mitcham I know you have very high standards to keep!

As soon as pace, acceleration and dribbling get over 15 (which they will) he will be something special.

As a side note, how can you have personal issues when you on 40k a week!

As a side note, how can you have personal issues when you on 40k a week!

I know

That was a result of me experimenting to see if I could make him happy with money, I tried giving him a couple of new contracts which cost me a fair bit.

Oh well at least you have him tied down to a nice loong contractr, if you have to resort to selling him you will get a nice injection of cash! Hopefully it wont come to that

Isn't Jesus Navas a RL example of a local home sick guy? Heared he was left out of some EL/CL matches a couple of seasons ago because he would panic away from home

Isn't Jesus Navas a RL example of a local home sick guy? Heared he was left out of some EL/CL matches a couple of seasons ago because he would panic away from home

He gets homesick very easily as you say, but he didn't get homesick just whilst training with Sevilla. This is even more extreme...

Looking at the humorous side of this, he's perhaps suffering the same problem as me. I was sick of living in the UK, so I jumped ship and went to Spain. I've very "settled" here now, thank you.

I did try loaning him out to Portsmouth but that didn't help.

I mean, what's wrong with Portsmouth?

You know what the problem is now... he's young and you showered him in money. He thinks if he just keeps whining he'll continue to get spoiled like a child.

Ship his butt off to the MLS where no will watch him play.

Just remember George Best

Maybe he is a bit like Nick Barmby, Carig Bellamy etc. - players based in the UK who want to be in 1 specific part of the country plying their trade.

Some players are just awkward.

Leave of absence is a big fat waste of time, it doesnt seem to ever help.

I can't swear its this way because I haven't worked on FM PC for 3 years or so (so someone may have totally changed it since I popped out for a cup of tea so to speak ) ... but when I implemented originally - if you sent someone on leave then there would be a chance it wouldn't help at all, a chance it'd help in the short-term (ie. resolve his present unhappiness but the underlying problem would remain and could resurface) or it could fix everything.

So it probably isn't broken - just that letting someone take 'leave' isn't a cure all; it isn't irl either bear in mind - sometimes people can through a problem if they're able to (ie. given a leave of absence), sometimes a problem isn't something you can resolve and it just takes time regardless of what you do.

Oh I totally get that and it makes sense... The problem is when they return from leave I've only ever seen one response and that is the player reporting he's happy to be with the club and the home sickness is gone, but it never has been gone. I like how it works especially with the leave and all, it's a great piece of detail. But the feedback is whats fouled up, nothing that really damages the game over all, but when the game gives feedback about a situation it needs to be the right feedback.

BTW, nice to see SI input, thanks. That must be some damn good tea as well, to be at it for 3 years. lol

Just a little update.

His personal problems have stayed for exactly a year now without me giving him a leave of absence and he doesn't look like signing a new contract. He's got about 18 months left and he won't sign one even when offered £75k p/w and a £13m signing on fee.

The annoying thing is that he's playing out of his skin.

Here he is, age 19

Sell him then or give him a bit longer to try and get better.

Sell him then or give him a bit longer to try and get better.

Selling him isn't an option, I've got loads of money and with a youth-only policy I can't replace him. More time is a bit of a problem with only 18 months left on his contract, I need to get this kid happy, and fast.

Selling him isn't an option, I've got loads of money and with a youth-only policy I can't replace him. More time is a bit of a problem with only 18 months left on his contract, I need to get this kid happy, and fast.

Yh you do but your a good manager. Im sure youve had this problem before. If you get someone just as good through your academy it solves all problems. Try praising him if hes doing well. He may then not get home sick.

Id keep him and persevere trying to get him on a long term deal.

If he leaves he leaves...you then have 2 more summers for a replacement to step up from your ranks?

Im sure youve had this problem before.

I can just imagine the nightmare scenario where he leaves the club at the end of his contract, joins another club and lives happily ever after.

Perhaps I should sell him with a buy back price in the contract?