Player/Coaches when to 'blood' them?

In my Spurs save, in November 2011. I've just told Ledley King he should be a future coach. He replied that he could start now, which insisted he should.

I've now signed him on a three year, 50k a week contract as a Player/Coach. His coaching stats are poor at present and he is slowly (but not spectacularly) losing ground in the team to the likes of Bassong and Galeano - with Phil Jones a realistic target in January.

What I ask is.

Is 31 too young to sign someone up as a coach? Should I have let him learn his trade a bit, before signing him up as a coach? I'm not so sure I want a declining 31 year old on £50,000 a week until he's 34?

Will his poor starting stats have a detrimental effect on players training?

Will his inculsion in the coaching team speed up his stats?

Would it have been better to let him run down his present contract then sign him up as a player/coach when he possibly wouldn't have asked for so much money?

Your insight into this issue will be appreciated!

I've never seen this addressed on the forums or in any guide??

Does anyone know?

as far as i know players that turn to coaches always get random stats no matter how they become coaches (after retirement or during their playing career like you did), they only get preferences according to their playing position, so attacking players will be more attack oriented and defenders are more defensive.

their PA also tends to be the same as their player PA.

In my recent Liverpool save I have Robbie Fowler, Jamie Carragher and Stevie Gerrard as coaches and they are all great, Fowler is on shooting, Gerrard on Ball Control and Carra on Defence, since Carra has been on defence we have only conceded 4 goals in 10 games and two of 3 of those we're against chelsea in two matches

The coaches definitely get better. If you've got quite a few coaching spots left on your team I'd keep him as a coach for a couple of seasons. If he shows some upward momentum in his stats keep him, if not toss him to the streets (but not too hard or you'll hurt his knees again).

In my updated from Patch v2.1 to v3.0 save Carra wanted to start right away as a player/coach and I okayed it. On checking his coaching attributes he is a 4.5* Defence Coach from the off. On my new Liverpool save with Patch v3.0 and the updated January transfer window players I went through the same procedure and this time he is a 4.5* Fitness Coach.

While we are on this subject, does any one know what happens when such a player coach eventually hangs up his boots, do they accept a new lesser paid contract as just a coach, or do I have to continue to pay them £80K+ a week in wages to keep him in which case 4.5* coach and Liverpool legend or not he is on his bike?.