Short term success by signing older player?

Has anyone ever tried this?

I'm currently managing Palermo in 2016 (after Wolfsburg 2010-2013 and ManCity 2013-2015). The team is OK, but still lacking depth and real quality (besides Pastore and Hernandez). I joined the team after the transfer period and as there's only a low transfer budget and the wage budget is almost completely spent I had to deal with the team given. I got the team to 5th place in the league and CL quarter-finals.

I would say to obtain higher transfer and wage budgets for improving quality and depth of the squad, first aim should be to secure CL football or even winning national titles.

I was wondering if anybody has tried to gain short term success by signing older (and obviously free transfer) players. I've been able to capture a 33-year old Cassano, a 32-year old D'Agostino as well as a 33-year old van der Vaart.

What do you think? Will this bring short-term success? Or is it the wrong way?

Yeah that's what I'm aiming for as I'm on a budget, but bringing in youth prospects as well on the cheap who'll be good enough for the first team in a few years time and using the older pros to tutor them

I always play lower league teams, and there they can be a great boost to an otherwise average side ... of course I am not getting the likes of Cassano or Van der Vaart, but I think the principle is the same. If they are good enough at your level of play, then offer them short contracts, and then you have time to get success, more money and reputation, so you can get younger and better guys to take over from them.

This is basically what i do when i manage in Scotland, though to the older guys i also add promosing regens and have them tutored when possible, works wonders for me

It's tough to like those guys - their physical stats will deteriorate pretty rapidly (especially if their natural fitness is low), while younger players will get better and get used to playing with each other.

Their physical collapse makes them almost useless even (especially?) at a lower level...

The ME puts too much emphasis on speed to allow a talented but slow old geezer to shine, even if he's among part-timers with banana-feet

at 32 or 33 players physicals arent so bad that it makes them useless i find, hell i had ivica olic still scoring 15 a season as a 37 year old though he seemed to keep his attributes high for ever.

Of course their (physical) attributes will drop, but the aim is to use them for 1 or 2 years...and even more, does a DLPM, for example, necessarily need to be quick?

Of course their (physical) attributes will drop, but the aim is to use them for 1 or 2 years...and even more, does a DLPM, for example, necessarily need to be quick?

Again, I can't say how important their physical attributes are at Palermo level (I am assuming Serie A??) ... but in the english lower leagues, they are fine as long as you don't expect them to be the Ball Winning Midfielder.

I once bought a 33-year old spaniard. He was great the first two seasons. Third season his Stamina had dropped so low that he could last about 60 minutes. But the rest of his tech and mental skills were still way better than anyone else in my league. He eventually retured after that season. He cost me nothing except his salary and gave a very good contribution to my team for 2½ years.

I also once signed a 38-year old defender for a season. He had quite good ratings all through the season.

I'll sign older players; my oldest goalscorer was 40 (my signing) and oldest player to play a game was 49 (at the club at the start of the game).

Unlike 10 years ago, physical attributes don't immediately go to hell once they hit 30; I've got a 36 yo Alou Diarra as my captain in the Championship and he's still got good physical attributes and insane mental ones. Some players deteriorate really quickly, whereas others can keep going well into their 30s. Goalkeepers can keep going even longer. And even the 34 yo midfielder I have with poor physical stats has a role to play in my team - he's got great technical skills and decent mental attributes. While he can't last a full 90 any longer, he's still a great player to bring on as a sub or to play the first 55 minutes or so.

While physical attributes are important, and having an entire team with low physical attributes is suicide, you do not need an entire team of super-athletes. You can always play a younger, more physical player alongside the older ones to complement them. After all, having a team full of super-athletes with low mental attributes and no technical ability is just as suicidal - it's all about having a good mix and playing to your strengths.

Just don't offer the older players long term deals. 2 years at most, and only 1 year if their natural fitness is poor or their stamina is so-so, as they won't last long in this case.

Generally I don't, going for a longer term youth approach when I can, but if I'm stuck for cash, and good older frees get offered then why not? I did have a bunch of 32-34yr old frees over a couple of years form an important part of one side I took from relegation candidates to promotion (Cordoba), so it can work out, but you shouldn't overdo it.

I will buy these types of players in some situations and for some roles. I also agree with the potential for a mentor/tutoring role for these players as a positive. If a defender's speed/accel/stamina is low, but he plays smart, he'd be an excellent late-game sub or someone to use when trying to shut up shop and protect a lead. Defensive players (DC/FB/DMC) in those specific situations benefit more from strong technical and (especially from) strong mental skills. No mistakes, but not called on to rampage up and down the field for 90 minutes.

It is possible for short term success I was doing a save with the challenge of winning every continental competition. I signed for Racing in Argentina and signed a 33 year old Mauro Zarate who scored a goal every other game with the same in assists. I also signed an ageing Mascherano who played well as an anchor man and an ageing Fazio to play as a CB. All played excellently and helped me win everything in my 3 seasons there.

i think old players are invaluable to the team, i signed Rooney at 36 and got two very good years out of him before he retired, my keeper i signed at 34 and he was first choice until he retired at 41, my captain and centre back was first choice until he retired at 37, all were playing well in the champions league as well as in scotland. You just need to make sure you dont have a full team of old guys, a few in key positions along with youth to provide the energy and you will do very well. I struggled when my keeper and centre back retired in the same year, their replacements are better attribute wise, but the old guys held the team together.