Telling players how you plan to use them

When approaching a player for a transfer, it would be handy to be able to tell them the sort of role you will be expecting them to play when they join.

"I know you're used to playing in the middle of defense but I plan on bringing you in to be first choice left back"

"I'm really looking for a top class poacher to complete my forward line and believe you'd be ideal for the role"

"In the short term I feel you'd best serve the team as a utility player, filling in for the first team when needed"

This would add another dynamic to the positional / training system, to negotiations and also personal conversations.

It would also allow players to more accurately judge when their position is under threat from a new signing.

There could be lash-backs from doing this sort of thing, with the player in the first example coming to you after a few months saying he's unhappy with his new position and would like you to consider moving him back to his preferred position. The second example could quickly add you to their favoured staff when they perform well as their trust in you grows, or they begin to dislike you when you persist with the role when it isnt working. The third example could happily spend a season as a utility backup, but feels he should be considered for a more active role in the new season etcetera...

One thing I'd like to see is an older player losing some physical conditioning requesting/learning to play in a less strenous position, a la Scholes dropping into a much deeper midfield role, Giggs moving into a central playmaker role rather than winger, Gullit's move into defence.

Once again, I do like the idea of this.

For this to work, the game AI is going to have to be able to understand the difference between the various positions. I dont think that it does so as yet. For example; my clubs preferred formation in the editor in 4-DM-3MC-2...yet my ass man and staff keep recommending wingers and ML and MR for me to sign.

It would be a great idea but the AI will have to get smarter for it to work properly.

There is the "Key Player", "First Team", "Squad Rotation" in the contract negotiations, but this could be expanded on as the OP has outlined.

I signed a player once who was a natural striker and right winger, with the intention to play him on the wing, But some of my other strikers were worried about the extra competition, even though I never intended to play him as a striker.

It would also be good to tell a player future ambitions such as I plan to build a team to compete for promotion, or a European place or something like that, and they can know how the club want to progress.

this would be awesome! if you're a lower team than other bidders for the player, and maybe putting him as key player won't be enough then you could appeal him to your club by saying you will definitly play him in his favourite position, and maybe even more appealing as a playmaker or something..

and also agree with wwfan, instead of just training him into new position you have an argument why, and it will be easier.. Good idea OP..!

Agree with Ackter and wwfan. So annoying having an aged player moaning about re-training (due to loss of stamina/pace) when it happens in real life at times

There is the "Key Player", "First Team", "Squad Rotation" in the contract negotiations, but this could be expanded on as the OP has outlined.

I signed a player once who was a natural striker and right winger, with the intention to play him on the wing, But some of my other strikers were worried about the extra competition, even though I never intended to play him as a striker.

Exactly this. One of my regens I signed was a Scottish international striker, but was only intending him to play LW. My other strikers were unhappy with the competition