Ass Man just won't play my big youth prospect...

Any thoughts here?

I'm currently managing Valur up in Iceland and the turn of season brought in an excellent prospect of a young player. The problem is none of my coaches seem to want to play him in reserve matches, even though he's far and away ahead of the majority of my youth team on talent. I've managed a few reserve matches myself and he has pretty much always put in a stellar performance. He even started a cup game against a non league team and did very well for himself.

They just won't play him if I set a coach to managing the reserves.

Is it because he's too young and some programming will make coaches choose older players over new recruits?

I'm trying to mould him into a bit of a right winger as he has the corssing and corner stats to fit that particular mould. I'm hoping this might make him a bit more viable and option. As it is my coaches keep picking another player I really don't rate and will let go when his contract ends.

I think I might have to start managing the reserves all season, but I'm reluctant to do so because it takes me forever to get through seasons as it is.

how about sending him out on loan?

Add this to the "Ideas for FM12" thread wherever that may be... telling coaches to pick certain players in reserve games if they're fit and able.

Add this to the "Ideas for FM12" thread wherever that may be... telling coaches to pick certain players in reserve games if they're fit and able.

Definitely agree with something like this. Just having a say over the team selections of the youth teams, without having to manage each match, would be great.

Definitely agree with something like this. Just having a say over the team selections of the youth teams, without having to manage each match, would be great.

Totally agree, I have a reserve who I am quite excited about but my AssMan is dead set on choosing this cheap dead end youth player whos just seeing out his contract hoping I can get a bit of cash from selling him.

Give him a run in the first team for a few matches and if he performs well then maybe use him as a sub, instead of just rotting in the reserves.

Add this to the "Ideas for FM12" thread wherever that may be... telling coaches to pick certain players in reserve games if they're fit and able.

Good shout.

I might be way off here, but I thought if you selected them in a position in the reserve squad, then the ass man would build it around that? I could be wrong though, I've never tested it.

Release the dead wood player that is getting picked instead? Then he sould play if there isn't any competition for his position...

Something i found works is putting them in your first team but making them available for the reserves.

dont know why it works. maybe the ai see's the importance of giving reserve game time to youngsters and backup players that are in the first team and available to the reserves.

this way they are always available for cup match run outs too.

Ive not had this problem, but, what if you opened up the reserve team tactics screen and dragged him to the position you wish him to play, would he not stay there until de-selected?

I might be way off here, but I thought if you selected them in a position in the reserve squad, then the ass man would build it around that? I could be wrong though, I've never tested it.

Good news everyone! I just tested this, and unless my youth team coach has gone mental, it does work.

Good news everyone! I just tested this, and unless my youth team coach has gone mental, it does work.

Brilliant! Thank you Tom.

Haraldur Haraldsson your time has come! No more swanning it on the training field. Get out there and show the world what you can do.

I do agree, it would be nice if you could tell your reserve coach that you wish him to play certain players. Something along the lines of assigning players a rating, dictating the priority to which you feel they should be utilised in matches. For instance your AssMan would be more likely to pick a player you have rated 5-star over a 1-star. If you have deemed the 5-star unavailable for the next match then he would choose the 1-star. I say this because I rate my young stars already, based on how I feel they might progress.

Incidentally this is all the more bizarre to me due to what I was told when the current season's youth recruits message was posted. I was told that Haraldur could be the best player to come through Valur's youth ranks in a long while, yet he doesn't get picked ahead of players just running down their contracts? I guess coach ability has a big say in things too.

Release the dead wood player that is getting picked instead? Then he sould play if there isn't any competition for his position...

but competition breads perfection...

if said player has no one to compete with...he may feel his work is done and slack off!

One more idea, if he's playing youth games as well, it could be simply a situation that he is too tired to play in reserve games, or even that the youths and reserves play the same day.

Hmm sadly picking the lad in a position in the reserves didn't work. My AssMan just put someone else there.

I had a couple of first teamers gaining match fitness in the last game, but the sub striker was a player rated far less promisingly by all my coaches.

I think my only option is to stomach the increase in game time and play the reserve games, or hope he gains enough from learning from a first teamer. I don't think I can send him on loan as he's only 16.

Brian Shanahan - There's no youth league in Iceland sadly, just the reserves.

Brian Shanahan - There's no youth league in Iceland sadly, just the reserves.

Didn't know about Iceland having no youths, though makes sense in a country that small. But similar situations have turned out that way for me.

Didn't know about Iceland having no youths, though makes sense in a country that small. But similar situations have turned out that way for me.

Yep, sadly I don't even get a youth team to split up and play friendlies with. That way he could be more likely to get a start.

It also causes problems with the training modules too. You can not access youth player's training schedules from the training screen, you have to go into their profiles and change their schedule there. That is besides the point though.

Can anyone really say what difference playing games, or not playing games, makes to a very young player's progression? At that age I would have thought learning from a pro (not that my first team are pros) would be the equal to lots of games, but I just don't know if it's true.

Yep, sadly I don't even get a youth team to split up and play friendlies with. That way he could be more likely to get a start.

It also causes problems with the training modules too. You can not access youth player's training schedules from the training screen, you have to go into their profiles and change their schedule there. That is besides the point though.

Can anyone really say what difference playing games, or not playing games, makes to a very young player's progression? At that age I would have thought learning from a pro (not that my first team are pros) would be the equal to lots of games, but I just don't know if it's true.

Maybe so in real life, but in the game, comeptetive matches are a must for a developing youngster. So he needs to play games regularly at as high a level as he can get. If he is old enough for a "pro"-contract, then consider loaning him out, if possible, to a club who will see him as a key first team member. Preferably in an active league, and with as high a reputation as possible. Might be a bit difficult in Iceland, unless you play with an expanded icelandic league (if one such mod exists). Otherwise all you can do is to control the Reserves too (that is what I do ... for the same reason), and then give him as many games as you feel you can in the First team.

The ass.man/coach overrides any attempt at picking the team for him. The "use current match squad if possible" button in the holiday controller doesn't work, and picking the team for him doesn't work either.

The ass.man/coach overrides any attempt at picking the team for him. The "use current match squad if possible" button in the holiday controller doesn't work, and picking the team for him doesn't work either.

Indeed .. which I think is a huge annoyance, and have been in many a FM version. I think there was one 06 or 07, where putting a guy in a position in the Reserves Tactics screen would force the AssMan to play him in that position.

Can't you just promote the guy you want out of the reserves to the first team and tick to not let him play for the reserves. This will leave the way clear for your man to be picked for the reserves

Just about to post that ^

Should work

Haha! A bit off topic but I absolutely love Valur and Iceland. Managed to win everything there for 2 seasons in a row (except for the Champions League, couldn't even make it past the second qualifying round) before moving on to Sweden. Feel a bit bad about leaving, hehe. Was a great experiencing playing in Iceland! Glad to see someone else there, and on Valur.

Can't you just promote the guy you want out of the reserves to the first team and tick to not let him play for the reserves. This will leave the way clear for your man to be picked for the reserves

why bother promoting him? just make him unavailable for the reserves...