How do we get better international players?

I am managing Australia and there is a terrible selection of players at senior level and throughout the youth ranks. What actions can I take to increase the potential of youth players in future intakes?

Manage a country other than Australia?

Seriously, I'm not sure. Australia shouldn't have the same quantity of talent as your major European or South American countries, but there should be a few good players. I think the quality of the intake is restricted because of the low reputation of the A-League.

That's strange, what year are you in? I've just had a look on my save where I have the Australian leagues loaded and there's loads of very good players coming through. Shame I can't sign them..

I am in year 2016...from the looks of it, the potential in my youth players do not even match the current ability of my senior players.

I would have thought you'd have at least a few that have come through, I've always thought Australia had a decent youth system.

I've got heaps coming through. (I use FMRTE and there are plenty with PAs of 120 to 150). I'm in 2014.

That said, be careful not to lose dual nationals to other countries. Keep interesting youth players in your youth teams so they don't end up playing for Croatia, Greece etc.

Also do a search for all Australian players and sort the search for Nationality. See if any players with a primary nationality of English, Scottish, Italian want to play for you. Keep an eye of them. Some of the may be kept in the youth team of that other country but may not be good enough for the main team. I'm waiting for an English DC who is great at youth level for his age who is in the English U21 team. That player has a PA of 130 which should mean he never gets called up for England, but that is a good PA for an Australian player. He'll eventually get bored waiting for an English chance and join the Australian squad.

Finally it may help just playing youth players with good potential rather than an older player with so-so stats. The youth player might get enough caps to get signed by a Euro team which may do wonders for their CA.

In reality the only thing you can do is to have the A League as an active league.

Yes you should do your part to help the biggest young talents move to bigger clubs where their potential has a higher chance of being reached.

If you have a club as well, and it's a good standard, sign up some youth players, and send them to a feeder club if there are work permit problems for the league you are playing. But only send them if that feeder club has good youth facilities. If the feeder is a 3rd division Belgium club, it may be better for that player to play for an A League club to develop.

Similarly keep an eye out for any players getting released. If it is a good youth player is released, sign them and send them to a feeder club if necessary. But is also important for retaining decent senior players. I've had Matt McKay released, and just sit without a club for a year then retiring. This was despite a CA of 120 when released and him being 30. I ended up needing to play him at LB just before a World Cup despite him having no club, but his CA was starting to dive with no regular football. Now a 35 year old Emerton, with a CA of 120, has been released as well, and while he doesn't want to sign for a Europe club, no other club is willing to sign him despite him being good enough for the Australian team considering the other talent available.