Backup players wanting first team?

This has probably been discussed, if so I just want to ask if this is common occurrences, last season I signed 5 players to bolster my first team, all of which are offered a back up role, which they happily took. But as the season progress, all of them one by one complained that they're not getting enough playing time and wanted more starting role... I can probably understand a couple of the players whose I play very rarely, but now the back up that I play the most (6 starts, 16 subs most of the subs were during half time too, to replace players that I need to be ready for the next game) are complaining that he doesn't get enough playing time either.

What gives? I don't get it. The contract that I was giving them clearly states that they'll be back-ups, but now not even a season goes by and everyone complain about their playing time already... is this something that SI screwed up, or am I suppose to give my back ups more game? ...

The system is floored. Happened to me aswell, signed a reserve defender once in the prem and he happily took a contract as backup then one of my other centre backs complains that I have signed to many players for his position so I assure him he is first choice to which he replied I hope I keep my word so it got a few months into the season and guess what happened.............

The player I signed as backup said he will leave to get first team football if he can't get it here and the one who complained about me signing someone else had played every game exept cup games but handed in a transfer request because I broke my promise :S Stupid!!!!

brilliant!

this should be fixed in the next patch.

rich: ouch, I'd be pissed too if that happened to me xD

Yeah, there's a balancing issue here that needs addressing. My personal 'favourite' is 18 year olds demanding First Team football when they've played maybe 3 League Cup games (I had one who even requested a transfer at 18 when I was managing Norwich in the Championship who then quietened down completely when we got promoted and eventually left at about 22 after not making the grade). It's always going to be an issue of personalities, but in real life there are plenty of players who would accept 6 starts and 16 sub appearances if the team is clearly doing well enough to justify them not starting more often.

Yeah, 19 year olds demanding first team football drives me mad, especially when they've refused the four loan deals I'd worked out for them.

I usually say I'll let them go out on loan, then offer to clubs but nobody wants them (despite me offering to pay all their wages) so the player comes back saying I broke my promise. Annoying.

Personally, I think this doesn't happen enough. FM players generally lack ambition and squads are too stable over time. While there are exceptions, it's way too easy for both the AI and player to horde players and dump potential stars like Wilshere and Sturridge into their reserve teams for years as they'll often wait patiently into their mid/late-20's before the retirement of a 38 year-old Fernando Torres actually gives them a shot at the first team.

Yes, a demand for first-team action is annoying went it happens, but it's supposed to be annoying. Dealing with overreaching egos is a huge part of football management. If an ambitious young player plays well in 3 cup matches, he absolutely should begin demanding a shot at league play, forcing you to make a hard decision (put him in the first team, send him out on loan, risk angering him). In real life, you've got players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pushing for first team action at 18 and showing visible signs of irritation when he gets subbed for an established Russian international!

And ambitious players who sign as back-up should, on occasion, change their mind and decide they want a bigger role. Again, citing real life, you've got players like Doni at Liverpool. He was signed as back-up to one of the healthiest and most consistent keepers in the world (Pepe Reina) and now he's starting to complain that he never gets to play any games! I would actually expect this to be more common among back-up players who play well, as they will obviously feel they've actually earned a bigger role in the team.

In real life, you have players like Modric who sign a contract extension then turn around and immediately demand a transfer to a bigger club.

Annoying? Yes, but players are supposed to be annoying. The game is easy enough without turning them into docile robots.

These guys are the most egotistical young adults on the planet. They should act like it.

Good point, very well made THOG. I was reading the first couple of posts agreeing with them but I'm not sure I do agree now after reading yours.

This should happen less regularly, for sure.

I can see that some players may change their minds after being happy to sign on a backup role. They may regard themselves as better than those who are in the team or they may just be frustrated about not playing, even though they were told in advance. Or they have a different conception of 'backup' as in not expecting to be a regular starter, but still to get more playing time than just one sub appearance every 5 matches.

But still, while this may be the case in some cases, this should not be the rule.

I have this as well. Had James Tomkins banging on about "achieving all he can at Club" then I passify him and 6 months later he is at it again. So I let him leave but noone will take him.

My big issue is with goalkeepers. It is a nightmare trying to keep your Reserve keeper happy despite as you say accepting a contract as back up originally.

If they want a game then I like it, it shows desire and will certainly make me think where can I fit them in. If I conclude I can't they'll get a loan or be sold. I don't like the 19 y-o back-up keeper I have who keeps offering a deal to terminate his contract. That is annoying, however it is the exception rather than the rule.

Maybe there should be more of an option to offer more playing time, but not necessarily first team playing time. As it is you have Dave Two-and-a-half-stars demanding a solid 8 games in the first team or he's leaving regardless of the fact that this will involve dropping Tom Legendary-top-scorer or radically changing the formation. If I could say "Okay, you may have a point. I'll try to involve you more." and then give the guy 3 starts and 3 sub appearances without him screaming about broken promises.

i signed kameni as a back up keeper to reina for liverpool and its the squad status he asked for. yet come november, hes demanding a transfer due to lack of first team appearances! not only him, but i then get jordan henderson doing the same and hes only a youngster who cant get in the team because of gerrard! ***** AI.

along the same kinda lines but slightly different heres my story:

hennesey used to be first choice, i then signed another keeper who should of been better but hennesey kept him out of the team... then i found david ospina on a free and he became the best keeper in my squad. so i had 3 good keepers.

then the guy i signed wasnt happy at getting not alot of oppertunitys (fair enough) sold him in that january. i then won the league cup(Ospina was in the goal). two weeks later hennesey is saying that he has won all he can at the club and wants a new challenge, that would be fair enough if he was performing amazingly and was attracting interest and i was going nowhere with the club BUT he has only played 10 games in total this season compared to 33 of ospina and has one team interested- blackburn- furthermore i am 5th in the league 3 points behind champs lge places and already secured a eurocup place due to my cup win; now surely that is a new challenge to him and how would going to a mediocre mid tabled club like blackburn be a new challenge considering i was that the two previous seasons.

Just happened, I thought I'd share. My 18 years old "youngster" whom I already played twice in Euro Cup, and just recently returned from loan. His general happiness was he feel being loan will be good for first team experience (I don't remember the exact phrasing but you know what I mean then I play him on his first league game because I already win the league and want to give me young players game time, after the game his status changed to "Feels he is too good to be loaned out" ... Whaaaaaaaaaaat, one league game and you're already too good? .... sigh...

I think it is just right that players want more first team football, complain about it and becomes annoying. It is too easy avoiding squad unrest altogether by simply rotating a lot.

However, what is not okay is that they complain, get the answer "ok I will play you more" and then you do play him more but he becomes upset at a "broken promise" anyway. That's a bug and must be fixed.