What to do with good 18 year olds.....?

What team should I play my good 18 years in if I want them to develop the best? Right now I have about 5 of them that could be 3 or 4 star players and they are playing in the U18 league.

I was tipped off the fact I might have them in the wrong place because I have finished my most recent season and my U18 team hasn't lost a game. i have scored twice as many goals as any other team. So I thought I must be doing something wrong....and sure enough no other big team has any 18 year olds anywhere close to the talent as mine playing in this league.

Should I let them play youth matches at the age of 18 and dominate, bring them into reserves, or loan them out?

I previosuly have always let them play youth as long as they can and then loan them starting at 19, but I am not sure that is good for them.

I would personally try to send out the potential 3* players on loan, whilst keeping the potential 4* players for tutoring and the occasional cup game.

PS. Your thread title could be very misleading to any sexually frustrated board members.

I usually loan out all promising youngsters from 17-19 (unless there is a space in the first team for the godly ones).

However i had a mass exodous of players this summer so many youngsters getting dropped in at the deep end. (And coping well)

I am playing in Spain so the squad registration rules are quite limiting. Once a player is too old to play for the u19 team he is also too old to play for the first team without taking up valuable space, and if he is put into the B-team he will stagnate because of the poor training facilities and coaches there (and that they're not playing real football matches). I have had poor experiences loaning out players so far, as loaning spells are a waste unless he plays 7.00+ and very regularly, and on top of that if he wants to go to a club it is probably too good to let him play, and if he is good enough to dominate (which is necessary) he won't normally go there. The club also need good+ training facilities and coaches that are not awful. In other words: good loaning deals are very rare!

In England it is easier, but good loan deals are few and far between there as well.

Straight into the first team imo.

I am playing in Spain so the squad registration rules are quite limiting. Once a player is too old to play for the u19 team he is also too old to play for the first team without taking up valuable space, and if he is put into the B-team he will stagnate because of the poor training facilities and coaches there (and that they're not playing real football matches). I have had poor experiences loaning out players so far, as loaning spells are a waste unless he plays 7.00+ and very regularly, and on top of that if he wants to go to a club it is probably too good to let him play, and if he is good enough to dominate (which is necessary) he won't normally go there. The club also need good+ training facilities and coaches that are not awful. In other words: good loaning deals are very rare!

In England it is easier, but good loan deals are few and far between there as well.

This is false, IMO. Good coachs/facilities are far less important to player development than first team football and match experience from what SI has said.

As soon as my decent players become old enough to loan out, I try to find them a club straight away at a club where they will be a valuable player, in the highest standard of league possible. Regular game time is by far the best way to improve your players.

Also in future, why dont you load some of the lower Spanish leagues also so Barca B are playable? That way you can send players there and they will play 'real' games and improve.

I'd loan 'em. First team football is the most important thing for developing players.

The latest you want to start giving them first team football is 19/20.

Leave it to 22 and the chances of them ever reaching their potential is tiny.

Personally I am one of those who play them every 1st team game. 99% of the time I start in the lower leagues and spend many an hour trying to find these sort of players. From experience (although it could all be in my head) the more you play them in the first team, the quicker they develop. I've found it a brilliant way of raising money, as the bigger teams soon start taking interest once the players start improving.

The latest you want to start giving them first team football is 19/20.

Leave it to 22 and the chances of them ever reaching their potential is tiny.

I keep under 18 players in U-18.

When they turn 18 if I think that they are hot prospects for the future I loan them out, so they can have first team football (the most important thing for developing of young players). As long as I think that they are still hot prospects for the future I do the same until they turn 22. Those for who I think that are decent young players I keep in Reserves. If they become hot prospects for the future I loan them out too.

When they turn 22 they can't have Hot Prospect For The Future or Decent Young Player status, so I put them in the first team. I keep them in the first team until they turn 24 (IMO the age when a players develops fully technically and physically) and if I'm pleased with them I keep them if not I sell them.

And as soon as players turn 35 I sell them. Of course sometimes I sell player before they turn 35, but never before they turn 24.

That's what I always do.

And basically I'm wrong with my philosophy?

Not if it works for you.

It doesn't work for me so I throw them in the first team as soon I can, even if they're technically too weak for it.

Not if it works for you.

It doesn't work for me so I throw them in the first team as soon I can, even if they're technically too weak for it.

TBH I don't think that they reach their potential with my method, but I'm just too 'scared' to play them before they turn 22 as my team's results are more important to me them my players getting developed.

Of late I started moving hot prospects to the first squad and making them available for the reserve team. This way they get regular match practice in the reserve team and they get some first team experience in easy matches because I don't forget about them when they're in the first team list.

Yeah that's basically what I do.

They're all listed for loan too and I'll send them out if a decent team comes in offering them a valuable role.

TBH I don't think that they reach their potential with my method, but I'm just too 'scared' to play them before they turn 22 as my team's results are more important to me them my players getting developed.

It depends on the league and level we play I think. I like to play lower league too so its far easier to be able to play youngsters; in the EPL I dont think thats possible if you actually want to win the league.

I start to give them games from 17 and in some cases 16.

This gives them the best chance of reaching there potential IMO.

PS. Your thread title could be very misleading to any sexually frustrated board members.

Off topic, but I had the same first thought... Gave me a good laugh at work, thanks!

This is false, IMO. Good coachs/facilities are far less important to player development than first team football and match experience from what SI has said.

Yes they are right about that - but don't read that as -any- first team experience. Because that is as false as it gets.

Loan is often a waste of time, unless the player is clearly good enough to get first team football in the same division of your team.

Basically I just loan out potentially good rotation players when I can't register them or when I've already found a better substitute but I still want to see how well the can do. But usually when I send someone on loan it's the beginning of the end...

Otherwise there's little point in loaning a backup/mediocre youngster to a club with worse staff/facilities/players where he would get more or less the same amout of football he'd get in my reserve/U18 team.

Youngsters with good potential and adequate skills will come in handy for Cup draws, injury crisis and easy league matches.

Youngsters with ok potential but still too green to play "actual" football will be developed/tutored while playing Reserve/U18 football

Youngsters with little hope of making it will just be around for the duration of the youth contract.

It depends on the league and level we play I think. I like to play lower league too so its far easier to be able to play youngsters; in the EPL I dont think thats possible if you actually want to win the league.

That's the thing. I play as Man Utd and I'm afraid to take chances to play them and develop them and not win anything. Like this I can win everything and will have to buy players I want. But, the thing is I want to develop my own players.

That's the thing. I play as Man Utd and I'm afraid to take chances to play them and develop them and not win anything. Like this I can win everything and will have to buy players I want. But, the thing is I want to develop my own players.

I also play as Utd but you can still do it. Quite easily. The key is not to play them all together. For example, even if you was playing blackpool you wouldnt start two young striker, a couple of midfielders and a defender. You maybe play one defender and one winger. If you have a good HT lead and you know you cant lose, you can bring another 3 off the bench and give them a good run out in the second half.

If your Man Utd, you can do this against at least 5 teams in the league home and away so there is 10 games experience for a young player. Even more if you chance them more in home games.

I also play as Utd but you can still do it. Quite easily. The key is not to play them all together. For example, even if you was playing blackpool you wouldnt start two young striker, a couple of midfielders and a defender. You maybe play one defender and one winger. If you have a good HT lead and you know you cant lose, you can bring another 3 off the bench and give them a good run out in the second half.

If your Man Utd, you can do this against at least 5 teams in the league home and away so there is 10 games experience for a young player. Even more if you chance them more in home games.

In that case I fancy more sending them on loan (e.g. I sent Kiko to Schalke where he played 35-40 matches) rather then playing them like that.

In that case I fancy more sending them on loan (e.g. I sent Kiko to Schalke where he played 35-40 matches) rather then playing them like that.

I don't think he's talking about players that have good enough CA/Rep to be a key member of Schalke...

I don't think he's talking about players that have good enough CA/Rep to be a key member of Schalke...

Doesn't matter. I'm talking about players younger then 22. Same applies for yunger players with less CA/rep e.g. Pogba. i like more for him to play 30-40 games for a championship side rather to play him like Steve said.

In that case I fancy more sending them on loan (e.g. I sent Kiko to Schalke where he played 35-40 matches) rather then playing them like that.

Yes I also loan mine aswell. What I meant was you can still play them in your first team and win. You just have to go about it the right way. Like in my current save that ive just started, I sold Park and Obertan, so that left me with Valencia, Nani and Giggs for wingers. The day after the window closed, Nani got injured for 8 months. This left me with Giggs and Valencia. A few weeks later Valencia got injured for 4 weeks. For the last 3 games, ive had Ravel Morrison playing AMR. In the champs league game he played he got 1 goal and 1 assist and in the 2 league games he has played he has 1 goal and 4 assists.

Basically what im saying is dont be scared to play them. As long as you only play one or two in your full strength team, you will still win games.

i rarely loan out players who are rated as quality players, they normally play in the youth until about 18 then i blend them into the first team, any other 3 to 4 star players basically go on loan or play reserve football until an opening occurs in the first team, if there isn't enough space for them, they get gate

Doesn't matter. I'm talking about players younger then 22. Same applies for yunger players with less CA/rep e.g. Pogba. i like more for him to play 30-40 games for a championship side rather to play him like Steve said.

It depends on how good tutors you have I suppose. I have had success loaning a young and VERY talented player to Championship, a real wonderkid. I loaned him out because I already had 7 strikers in my first team (this was FM10 with a 433 tactic), two of which I had recently bought, and then I spotted this amazing regen I just -had- to sign right away. He was of course by far the best player in Championship and won promotion for his team on his own. He was 17 then and was a key player for my team already at age 18.

So yes, loaning them out can be beneficial - IF they dominate in their new club and av.r's over 7.0. Basically, they need to be "a good Championship player" CA if they are to be loaned out to Championship, "a good league one player" if they are to be loaned out to league one etc etc.

The problem is that if they are, they're reluctant to go there...

And one more thing: if his Determination, ambition and professionality is as good as they get even with tutoring (aka your tutors aren't better), then it is fine loaning him out rather than playing him sporadically yourself. If not, tutoring so he gets those personality traits is more important, and while doing so you need to give him first-team experience and keep him match fit.

Doesn't matter. I'm talking about players younger then 22. Same applies for yunger players with less CA/rep e.g. Pogba. i like more for him to play 30-40 games for a championship side rather to play him like Steve said.

Im not saying you have got to play them. I always loan my players out to Championship clubs where they will play a lot of games. Im just pointing out that you can still win even if you play these players in your team. You said you was scared to play them in case you lose and win nothing. Im just pointing out that isnt the case and you can quite easily play them and still win.

I always leave room in my first team for 2-3 youth players.. I think giving them a few matches each season develops them more than loaning them out to some small team in a lower division

The good youths that dont get a place in the first team usually get loaned out..

And my track record tells me this is a good way to develop players as I tend to have 5+ players in my starting lineup and still have a world beating team. In my last long-term game with Leeds I had developed around 10 English national players, 7 of which were in my starting lineup, the rest were sold to bigger clubs.

If they don't have a good personality i always try to have them tutored twice if needed by a good tutor while giving them matches on cup/easier home fixtures generally, when they are 18 but i feel they can play regularly and eventually become a starter for my team i keep them on U18/reserves and try to give them as much game time as possible.

On loans from my experience it's worth it if they can play regularly and the club is on the two top levels, of course it's dependant on the country that you are managing but loaning to any clubs lower than that and they don't really develop that much.