Questions/Remark about Jnr players in First vs. Reserve vs. U19 team

Hi,

context:

- I am playing Neath in the Welsh Championship.

- I am relatively new to the game, and what I am trying to do is to have 2 players + 1 good Junior for every positions I have in my First team.

- I tend to keep the unwanted players in my Reserve Squad (until I can sell / loan them)

- Most of my home breed juniors players are very, very crappy

- As a result, I don't want to play myself the Reserve or U19 games if I can avoid (too long, not interesting)

So, from time to time, I manage to hire a young player with good potential on a Junior contract. These good Jnr players, I avoid putting them in the Junior squad, as they get only half-time training, and I suppose it's not as good as Full time training. First: Is this correct ? Am I totally wrong ? :confused:

Second, I want to give them some play time, so that they can really improve. However, as I already have 2 senior players / position in my First team, I tend to alternate these two players in my games' schedules. I really want to keep the "good Jnr" as wild card in case of injuries, international duty call, etc... So I figure, I will let them play on the Reserve Team when I am asked by the Assistant coach if any player of the first team should be available for the Reserve's games ("not enough play time" options, etc...).

Unfortunately, the Reserve coach sometime still choose the unwanted bad Reserve squad players rather than the "Good Juniors" in need of play time for the games (because even if they are good, they can still be very young and not as good as a mature average Reserve player), which tends to annoy me.

I then thought that I could get control of the U19 games, let the "Good Jnr" in the First team (for Full time training), and actually select them on the U19 tactic screen, on the day of the U19 games. But this seems to be not working, because all the U19 games are happening the very same day as the First team games, and I cannot control both on the same day (?): I get blocked at the "Validate" button on the U19 tactic screen, and cannot progress the game any further, until I revert control of the U19 team to the Assistant coach. Question: Is that normal behaviour ? Is that a bug ? ( I have noticed that if the U19 and First team games are on different days, then this solution could work. Unfortunately, in Wales, these games almost always happen the same day).

As the good Junior are so very better than the normal ones, I then try changing their squad just before a game (with the idea of reverting them back to the First team after), so that the assistant coach will select them rather than the very poor ones (if he is not too daft). Unfortunately that mess up all the specific trainings I set for individual players, so this is really not good.

So if I want a minimum of control on the number of games I will give to my "Good Juniors", am I stuck with having to control the Reserve games, then ? :confused:

I figure there could be a "gamey" option of putting all the unwanted players from Reserve in the Junior squad, so that they will never be selected by default during a Reserve game (but only be "called up" if there is not enough player in the Reserve squad and that the game engine is looking for more players in the U19 squad), therefore leaving priority for the Assistant Coach to select the "Good Juniors" first. But I have not tried it (Anyone has ?).

Remark: What I really would like, is that the U19 coach ask me the EXACT same question before a U19 game, as the Assistant coach is asking before a Reserve Game. I.e. something like : "Some U19 players are currently in the First squad, and could be made available in today's U19 game", with the same options you have for a Reserve game ("Not for Juniors in the first team selection", "Not for Juniors which are subs in the first team selection", "All Junior lacking play time", etc...).

Cheers,

Cat

That's a lot of questions there! You can stick unwanted players in the u19 squad and they'll never play if they are too old. Why not just offer them out for 0, or free release them? Shouldn't be too expensive for you. The coach *should* play the best players in the u19 squad for matches unless there is a fitness issue with them.

"I am relatively new to the game, and what I am trying to do is to have 2 players + 1 good Junior for every positions I have in my First team."

Welcome that's what I do too, gives you enough option to rotate players and give young player some games while keeping the wages down, very good policy imo

"Most of my home breed juniors players are very, very crappy"

You need to get your recruitment network up and I'm afraid it's related to your club reputation and can be very pricy as it increases in level... your best bet would be poaching you players until you have a reliable youth setup... but nothing feels as good as having home grown player for sure

"I suppose it's not as good as Full time training. First: Is this correct ? Am I totally wrong ?"

Yup they're very mild training BUT the truth is your young players can't take too many games anyway they'll get tired very easily. Your best bet on developing young player (imo anyway) is to keep him in u19, make him available to reserve so he get extra games, and play him on low priority games if you can just to give him experience. Most important thing to do though is to tutor him, I found that by finding a good tutor/tutee match this is the best way to develop player until they're ready out of the u19/ready to play for senior team.

"Unfortunately, the Reserve coach sometime still choose the unwanted bad Reserve squad players rather than the "Good Juniors" in need of play time for the games (because even if they are good, they can still be very young and not as good as a mature average Reserve player), which tends to annoy me."

I don't have anyone in my reserve team, every player is either on senior team or u19... the ones that I'll never use still in senior team but I mark them to be available for reserve but I don't have a problem with junior players getting spot on the reserve team if they're better... not sure why yours like that

As for the rest of your question... I really never have a problem that you encounter (Crappy reserves taking spot over good juniors) so I'm guessing it's your ass-man that's making bad decisions? I can't help you in there I'm afraid but I would like to stress the tutoring as this is the best way for you to see good development on your junior players

I then thought that I could get control of the U19 games, let the "Good Jnr" in the First team (for Full time training), and actually select them on the U19 tactic screen, on the day of the U19 games. But this seems to be not working, because all the U19 games are happening the very same day as the First team games, and I cannot control both on the same day (?): I get blocked at the "Validate" button on the U19 tactic screen, and cannot progress the game any further, until I revert control of the U19 team to the Assistant coach. Question: Is that normal behaviour ? Is that a bug ? ( I have noticed that if the U19 and First team games are on different days, then this solution could work. Unfortunately, in Wales, these games almost always happen the same day).

Otherwise, thanks for the answers guys.

Cat

Remark: What I really would like, is that the U19 coach ask me the EXACT same question before a U19 game, as the Assistant coach is asking before a Reserve Game. I.e. something like : "Some U19 players are currently in the First squad, and could be made available in today's U19 game", with the same options you have for a Reserve game ("Not for Juniors in the first team selection", "Not for Juniors which are subs in the first team selection", "All Junior lacking play time", etc...).

Odd.

Cat