Suggestion: Player Contract Expiry Interaction

In my game, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs are both four months of the end of their contracts, and I do not plan to renew them. This has given me an idea for a new feature in the game. The thing is, I've noticed that both players continue to be 'happy to stay at the club'. Of course, I don't doubt that they are. However, they are both stalwarts - some might say legends - at Old Trafford, and I think it would be good if the following two things were implemented.

a) Players approaching the end of their contracts, especially if they are happy at the club, start to make a bigger fuss about it. I believe we do get players who sometimes say they would 'like to discuss a new contract'. But this doesn't happen enough, and isn't expanded on enough.

b) The media should pick up on it. I believe this should be tied to club and player reputation. For example, if Joe Nobody at Macclesfield Town is approaching the end of his contract, perhaps you might expect there not to be much media attention paid to it. However, as Man. United manager, I would expect a fair amount of media speculation and questions about whether I plan to offer new deals to the likes of Giggs and Neville. You could have a range of responses from outright telling the media that no contracts will be offered to telling them that you plan to open talks with the players soon. In the middle could be more coy responses such as that you are not going to be drawn on the matter, or that you need more time to monitor the players' performances before you can make a decision. All this would affect the players themselves, either positively or negatively.

My basic thinking is that the game doesn't allow enough of a fuss to be made about the approaching end of contracts. Giggs and Neville, as well as the entire footballing world on my game, seem totally oblivious to the fact that they are four months away from the end of long, distinguished careers with the club. Put simply, I believe there should be some fuss about it.

In my game, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs are both four months of the end of their contracts, and I do not plan to renew them. This has given me an idea for a new feature in the game. The thing is, I've noticed that both players continue to be 'happy to stay at the club'. Of course, I don't doubt that they are. However, they are both stalwarts - some might say legends - at Old Trafford, and I think it would be good if the following two things were implemented.

a) Players approaching the end of their contracts, especially if they are happy at the club, start to make a bigger fuss about it. I believe we do get players who sometimes say they would 'like to discuss a new contract'. But this doesn't happen enough, and isn't expanded on enough.

b) The media should pick up on it. I believe this should be tied to club and player reputation. For example, if Joe Nobody at Macclesfield Town is approaching the end of his contract, perhaps you might expect there not to be much media attention paid to it. However, as Man. United manager, I would expect a fair amount of media speculation and questions about whether I plan to offer new deals to the likes of Giggs and Neville. You could have a range of responses from outright telling the media that no contracts will be offered to telling them that you plan to open talks with the players soon. In the middle could be more coy responses such as that you are not going to be drawn on the matter, or that you need more time to monitor the players' performances before you can make a decision. All this would affect the players themselves, either positively or negatively.

My basic thinking is that the game doesn't allow enough of a fuss to be made about the approaching end of contracts. Giggs and Neville, as well as the entire footballing world on my game, seem totally oblivious to the fact that they are four months away from the end of long, distinguished careers with the club. Put simply, I believe there should be some fuss about it.

nothing wrong with those ideas

it's not as if clubs outside the prem don't poach players on a bosman in december/january, but it would be more realistic if this was played out in the media, like Flamini and Wes Brown for example. Flamini leaves, Brown stays, probably due to the sucess of their respective clubs. that should be implimented in FM09.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by phnompenhandy:

At the very least they should have a high chance of being offered coaching roles. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I actually want to offer them both player-coach roles but the option isn't there and given how poor they've both become and the quality I have in the squad, I can't justify keeping them on just as players. It's a shame I can't at least offer them some form of coaching role.

At the moment i have Javier Mascherano 5 months away from end of contract, he has snubbed my initial offer.

now as a young upcoming star that would be a big deal in the news.

i would also like some indication on why he doesnt want to discuss his contract - we are in every competition and have a considerable margin in the prem ahead of 2nd place so im a bit clueless!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">

i would also like some indication on why he doesnt want to discuss his contract - ... im a bit clueless! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

In a word, Joor [his 'agent']

same thing happened with me (about Javier) is cos he is angry that you didnt offer him a contract earlier - i ended up paying about an extra 7000 p/w over what i expected in order to resign him!!!

Despite him saying hes not interested offer him an contract anyways - just make sure it is a lucarative one. My game i offered 75,000 p/w and a hefty apperance(?) fee, no sign-on and he expected ... so theirs a rough interaction

I've revived this thread because I'm now at the end of the following season and Paul Scholes' contract is about to expire and then he is going into retirement. As with Giggs and Neville the previous season, I really wish there was some fuss being made about it. In particular, I decided to give him his last ever game on the final day at home to Portsmouth. At 35, he'd played few games, but I figured he deserved a farewell. Firstly, I wish the game would recognise when long-serving or otherwise popular players were in this position, so that some fuss could be made. But even more than that, Scholes actually scored and had an excellent game (rating: 9). I just wish there was a way to make it clear it was his last game for the club, so that something could be made of this.

It would also be good to be able to tell players that you don't intend to offer them a new contract rather than it just become implicit by the fact that their contract is just allowed to run out.

Similarly, during contract negotiations a club offering you a job as manager can tell you this is their last offer and a player you are trying to sign can give you feedback on his level of disgruntlement at the way contract negotiations are going, but we as managers don't have the option to say to a player "This is the last contract offer I am going to give you, if you don't want to sign it then go take a long run off a short pier"...or maybe something a little less explosive!

i had an issue with sergio ramos at arsenal, he was on £125K p/w (he wasn't interested in a move to us in the first place, so i maxed out the offer) and he didn't want to stay. a high profile situation like that would make news all over europe, like the recent Frank Lampard situation. chelsea called a press conference ffs (which i think we should be able to do whenever we want, along with having a "media interaction" rating).

i rarely keep players over 30 anyway, my average age is usually 25ish, although i've just started a milan game when the ave is 29. i usually try to offer coaching roles if i got some good years from a player, but usually they are free transfered.

I just wish there was a way to make it clear it was his last game for the club, so that something could be made of this.

"Tell the press that the next game Paul plays in will be his last game for the club." or something similar, when he plans to retire.

During the match it could give some room for some extra comments where the commentator says something like: "Scholes is coming on/off and the crowd is giving him a standing ovation for being in his last game!" or something similar. Or after the match, an interview with the player.

It would be such a nice extra touch to the game indeed.

If we were really to tie this all together:

The fact that the player's contract is expiring should unlock some "Player Interactions" with the player, from

- Ask to stay on in a reduced role

- Ask to consider hanging up his cleats but taking on a coaching role (esp. if has his badges)

- Ask to stay on for a reduced contract

To:

- X's recent standard of play hasn't deserved a new contract

- I'm grooming Y to replace X for next season

- Promise X a new contract in the summer after the July 1st transfers.

- Invite X to return for next pre-season on a month-to-month contract.

It should also trigger a number of other game events, including -

Media speculation regarding transfers:

- Increased media questions about players on an active shortlist in the position of the expiring player

- New media speculation about high-profile unhappy players who are NOT on your shortlist, but are in the position of the expiring player.

Supporter Confidence:

- Supporters might become unhappy that the manager has not yet renewed a popular player's contract

Previous January Transfer Window:

- Player demands Transfer: "If you're not going to give me a new contract, transfer me to a club that wants me."

Team-Talks: unlocking new content like

- "Prove to me that you deserve a new contract!"

- "That sort of performance won't earn you a new contract."

Impact on other Players:

- Especially if you are letting your Captain's contract expire!

- Other veterans less likely to join you on a Bosman?

- Players who list the expiring player as a Favourite get upset?