Loving the contract negotiations

The introduction of agents to the game is a major plus point for me. I'm really enjoying this bargaining aspect of the contract stage. It's so much more hands on feeling than the offer contract and hope of yesteryear.

I just tried to sign a promising midfielder to my team. He had an agent that was on the greedy side but I managed to drop his wages, and the agent fees, and procure a happy outcome. All I need now is a happy final outcome but I'm going to be gutted if he signs for the team his agent said were very willing to sign him.

For the first time in a while I really feel like I'm the manager of the club, rather than the guy who picks the team and sends the players out. Thanks SI.

Anyone had any horror stories or coups when trying to sign someone?

I think SI are gradually making this more and more realistic. I wouldnt be surprised if next year there is another new feature. 09 was all about the 3d and media, (dont know about 10, never got it) 11 is all about the agents. Next year who knows but i cant wait!

Totally agree. But the best new thing is that leagues reputations can increase so its no impossible to get small clubs from small leagues to be the champs of europe

I know what you mean, Ter. I haven't played far past the contract negotiations for my young midfielder but I have this awful sinking feeling that I'm going to get a message that he has signed for the club his agent mentioned. I'm starting to wish I hadn't dropped the wage I offered him, even if it was a small drop.

Has anyone tried to drastically drop the agent's fees? I get a little annoyed when they get greedy as I assume it comes out of my budget and I don't see why I should pay more for a player because the agent wants a quick buck.

I'm actually finding it pretty enjoyable, I've had a couple of agents come back to me with favourable deals, after I looked after them, so perhaps it works too well.

I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying them as well. With all the new clauses as well, I really feel like I'm able to negotiate properly which wasn't the case on previous versions.

Yeah I'm loving them too, took me 6 months to sign a player to a new contract I/they were happy with.

Ter, I have a question, there's one thing I don't like about negotiations. I find often that I offer a contract, then other clubs make they offer and then I want to do a better offer...problem is I have to retire my contract offer or I have to retire and redo my offer to the club. This is a nonsense to me.

It happened to me that after retiring the player didn't wanted to negotiate to me no more.

Fair question, that. Can you change contract offers?

Loving them myself. The new clauses are very inventive especially the one for a striker where they ask for a bonus after scoring so many goals a season

The only issue I've had with negotiations is when I offered someone a trail, another club came in with a contract.

I decided to offer terms as well at that point, only to do so I had to withdraw my trial offer. For some reason this annoyed the player and he wasn't interested in negotiation a full contract.

The only issue I've had with negotiations is when I offered someone a trail, another club came in with a contract.

I decided to offer terms as well at that point, only to do so I had to withdraw my trial offer. For some reason this annoyed the player and he wasn't interested in negotiation a full contract.

Yes that does seem a little backwards. Are you sure you could not just alter the offer?

While the contract negotiation change is nice, I'm a bit disappointed the initial transfer fee negotiation between clubs is still the old fashioned way.

I enjoy having the agents in the game, it seems that if an agent is willing to discuss transfer with you you can probably get the player. I currently play as Crewe in league 2 and agents have come with some crazy demands of even 10K a week but with some negotiations they all have come to accept 2,8K a week whiich is my limit.

On the negative side I really dont like that they are less responsive to taking off clauses, one thing that I hate is a the "XX % yearly wage rise" clause, in previous FM games I allways took all those clauses off the table, but in this version that seems very hard to do.

The "match highest earner" clause is also stupid. A fourth division player should not even think about demanding that kind of a deal, that clause is for the Messis and the like.

While the contract negotiation change is nice, I'm a bit disappointed the initial transfer fee negotiation between clubs is still the old fashioned way.

I'm not so sure about that. In many interviews managers have indicated that most transfer fee negotiations are not done face to face. I remember one newspaper article concerning my club Feyenoord in which our technical director Eric Gudde said that Man City once made a bid for Jonathan de Guzman. How?

They simply faxed a handwritten note that said: "Jonathan de Guzman. 15 million pounds. Manchester City."

Weird way of doing business that, but really happened.

It's a brilliant addition to the game, I usually find negotiations to be annoying and agents to be greedy bastards...which is exactly the way it is in real life. Very realistic and fun.

I'm not so sure about that. In many interviews managers have indicated that most transfer fee negotiations are not done face to face. I remember one newspaper article concerning my club Feyenoord in which our technical director Eric Gudde said that Man City once made a bid for Jonathan de Guzman. How?

They simply faxed a handwritten note that said: "Jonathan de Guzman. 15 million pounds. Manchester City."

Weird way of doing business that, but really happened.

But some must be done with a sit down, especially if it is a big kind of deal that might need a lot of clauses and other wrangles to come to an acceptable arrangement.... but also, I DID notice the option to let the board negotiate transfers over certain transfers, I think it would be cool to delegate -all- transfers; as if our club did have a sporting director or whatever.

The only problem I have is with signing on fees, they often seem too high. I done a test by giving myself tons of money and a rep of 10000 so I could buy anyone almost. I got to contract negotiations with players like Messi and Ronaldo and I could just about afford the £250-300k wages they wanted, but they'd always want signing on fees of 15-20million, which was impossible for me to afford, even if I moved the slider all the way to the left to give myself a maximum wage budget the max I could get to was about £8m for a signing on fee, meaning it was impossible for me to sign them.

I concur, an excellent addition to the game.

Whoever had this brainwave at SI or on these forums; take a boo son

The only problem I have is with signing on fees, they often seem too high. I done a test by giving myself tons of money and a rep of 10000 so I could buy anyone almost. I got to contract negotiations with players like Messi and Ronaldo and I could just about afford the £250-300k wages they wanted, but they'd always want signing on fees of 15-20million, which was impossible for me to afford, even if I moved the slider all the way to the left to give myself a maximum wage budget the max I could get to was about £8m for a signing on fee, meaning it was impossible for me to sign them.

I get a feeling with all these incredible demands from players we're going to end up seeing a lot of high-quality free-agents over the seasons. Maybe that will temper their contract demands!

Good point. I'd like to see a list from the fella on't'other thread who holidayed until 2034 of all the bosmans and their signing on fees...but i doubt that's possible.

It will mean, however, that bosmans are no longer the total freebie they were before, which is more realistic I suppose.

The added clauses are great. I've been able to sign players for my BSN side that I probably wouldn't have been able to sign in previous versions of the game. Lots of good young talent in my side, youth internationals, etc. Keep releasing the talent Premiership sides!

Although I'm having a hard time signing decent staff. Even the guys with attributes of 4 and 5 have high wages, its difficult.

Gott agree, i too am loving the negotaitions.

Ive saved loads on wages and have vene saved millions on player signing on fees by giving the agents a few hundred thousand more instead