A few questions for the FM Series Vets...

This is my first FM game I'm really playing. I bought FM10 but never played it that much. Getting real into this version though, and have some questions about some things in the game I've yet to figure out.

1. Retraining a player for a different position. EXACTLY how is this done? I can't seem to find the option, but people always bring it up as something that can be done.

2. Are player values tied to their skills, or their salary? In the last year of someone's contract, their value PLUMMETS. I have to re-sign them to get their value to go back to where it should be.

3. Nevermind

4. Staff. Namely, which stats are good to have for assistant managers? which stats are best for U18 manager? I mean the main one, I know the youth stat needs to be good (obvious) but what other stats would help me get the most out of my main youth manager in charge?

5. Individual training focus. I can't seem to find this either? I usually just take the advice of my staff and start players on individual training focus when they pop up in my staff meetings because otherwise I can't find them.

6. I always hear of people finding gems in the free transfer market. How exactly are you finding them in time?! They would be hard to sort through right? If they are out of contract, you can't just simply sort by value (because they don't have a value). Do you guys just read through all the names or what? Any tips on this?

That should be all for now...

Thanks in advance for the helpful replies!

1. Go to a player's screen, click on the training tab, and on the left hand side you will see options for changing his training schedule or giving him individual training.

2. A bit of both.

3. I don't see a question here.

4. People may have different views, but I look at their tactical knowledge, motivation and determination.

5. Again, this on the the same screen as question 1.

6. I never find free transfers, so will wait and see if anyone else can answer. I occasionally get cheap youngsters who turn into world-class players, this is mostly down to my scouting network.

1 and 5: On the player profile screen go to training. There are fields for New position and individual training focus.

2: It's to do with contract as well as the player's age and reputation.

4: For an assistant alot is personal taste- I always like someone to have good judging player ability.

6: Have a good scouting network in place, luck is an element too.

1) ... but it will happen a lot quicker if you play them in the new position as well as train them.

2) clubs are reluctant to pay a huge fee when the can pick up a player for nothing at the end of his contract.

3) I stick with the default ones.

4) I like JPA & JCA for an ass man, as assessing players is about the only thing I let him do.

5) I look at a player's attributes, if one of the important ones for his position looks lower than the others I set him to that.

6) Scouting, scouting and more scouting. Also, the ass man's team report will suggest solutions for problem positions and some of these will be freebies.

1. Go into the player profile, then click the training-tab. then you'll see an option called "new position". It'll take quite a while though, and 10% of his training time will be devoted to training in his new position, meaning less time for other training, so don't do it randomly.

2. Both skill(reputation actually) and contract status determines a players worth.

3. What's the question?

4. Youth manager is quite irrelevant, really. Just pick the guy with the best tactical knowledge and youth combo. As for your assistant manager, it depends on what you want him to do. If you want advice on which players to have, go for judging player pot&ab. If you want tactical advice, go for tactical knowledge and make sure he favours the same formation and style of play as you do. If you want him to take care of the press for you, make sure motivation is high. If you need him at the training ground, go for training skills.

5. No idea, I've wondered about this new feature as well...

6. Setting "international apps" to "at least 1" can give you some old ex-international. Otherwise, try fltering for the specific position you want and choose one key attribute and set it high(like 15). That might give you something. Lastly, you can send out your scout, setting the option "player value" to 0 means he'll only search through free transfer players.

How is it that I've missed this in the player's screen. I don't think I was looking there for it to begin with to be honest. Will have a look tonight.

I think I need to work on my scouts. I only have 4. Is it helpful to get Scouts who have different knowledge areas? Like if a guy is hot **** in Portugal, would that mean I can start looking at their players and knowing what their values are right away? For instance, everyone in England I know values of for the most part.