No. 1 priority for FM 2013: Transfer realism

The number one priority for next year's game has to be transfer realism. I feel this is the one area where the game is lacking.

1: Players and staff joining old managers. If a manager has been giving them lots of playing time or the player performed well under that manager, the player is more than happy to link up with that manager. As a human manager, I've experienced this several times, picking up players who performed well for me before, even though they were on the bench of another team. I would like to see that from AI teams too

2: Players joining hometown clubs or clubs close to home: Very common occurence, player should also get homesick if they play in another part of their country.

3: Players join local clubs more often. E.G., how often do you see a Conference player or even lower moving left, right and centre across the UK?

4: Recommending players and manager friendships: If you manage a PL/FLC team, a manager from the FL1/2 you have a good relationship with might approach you and say he needs e.g. a midfielder, and if you have player you would like to loan out or give away. If you manage a lower league club you can ask yourself. Also, you can recommend a player without the other manager asking, like if you have a player who has been a total flop or a triallist who doesn't cut it, you can send him a message saying that we're not interested in these players, but maybe you would like them? And sometimes, the other manager might do a favour back, like lower transfer fees if you buy one of his players.

5: Players going down to get playing time: We often see players struggling for playing time who are so desperate that they drop a level, even two, on loan or free transfer, to get a club or get playing time, eventhough they are way too good for the level.

What do you think about these suggestions?

All very sensible suggestions, but I imagine some of these (particularly the ones about moving to local clubs/homesickness) might be hard to implement into the game. Because differences of culture isn't always just about how far away two places are, etc.

Local transfers would be no harder than that players would prefer a local club over other clubs. Clubs should of course also look for players only in their area.

Something I forgot: It would be cool having players contacting you saying that they have moved to your town or country to study or build their career, and that they would like to come for a trial.

Last, I would like to see your coaches maling a report on your trialists, saying what their weaknesses and strengths are, etc, with a recommendation to sign or not.

Its my number 6 priority

I think they're great. I particularly like point 1 about old players and staff wanting to join you, especially if they're not doing as well with their current manager/club as they did with you, or the relevant AI manager. (incidentally, I think if you were successful at a club which is no longer doing so well, the fans should start to protest/clamour for your return). It would be good in general to feel more that your actions in your career, how you treated players, the style your teams play in, how you spoke about other clubs etc matter a lot down the road.

One point about the old staff wanting to join up again, has anyone else ever had it that when you leave lots of staff leave straightaway too, but then when you have a new club, you might approach one of those who left and he doesn't have any interest in signing with your new club? That seems very strange to me, why did they leave their former job straightaway if not through loyalty to you, besides don't they need to work anymore?

#2-3 and 5 are vital for realism and playability.

I think "Adaptability" should play a much bigger part than Club/League/Player Reputation when players are facing transfer offers. There's no valid reason for players who have spent their whole career in their country to pack up and move to the other side of the pond or to the other end of the continent to join a random club for pocket money.

Also aging players and Top Leagues "rejects" should be more willing to go back home, as their experience abroad would still matter there, surely more than in other places...

Then yes, young and not-so-young players who are listed as Backups or are in the Reserve Team should always consider loan offers even from not-so-fancy clubs.

Playing for Liverpool Reserves is hardly better than getting regular football at Burnley?

But the #1 priority should always be reducing the impact of PA and reputation on transfers.

I'd like to see the transfer fees being much closer to what they are in real life. Currently the prices seem to be very badly inflated.

These are good ideas, but I would be wary of further complicating a system that already has so many problems. SI needs to perfect the fundamentals of squad building before they add in any factors that might lead to even more weird transfer decisions.

Something I forgot: It would be cool having players contacting you saying that they have moved to your town or country to study or build their career, and that they would like to come for a trial.

No no no.....no more spam in the in box.

I'd like to see the transfer fees being much closer to what they are in real life. Currently the prices seem to be very badly inflated.

in what way? Liverpool payed £20m for Downing...... £35m for Carroll.....

I agree that it should be priority 1 for the team that handles that part of the game.

It's the biggest part of the game that's changed the least imo.

in what way? Liverpool payed £20m for Downing...... £35m for Carroll.....

That's an user problem (in most cases) imo - people rarely realise that they've put themselves in the place of Liverpool in that situation. They want a player that the other team doesn't want to sell so have to pay stupid money for them.

The biggest problem in FM is AI's Man Management.

Talented youth players rotting in reserves and 35 year old deadwood playing in first team i something i see way too often.

The biggest problem in FM is AI's Man Management.

Talented youth players rotting in reserves and 35 year old deadwood playing in first team i something i see way too often.

Hmm, like Liverpool playing Carragher whilst leaving Coates on the bench? Would never happen IRL. Oh wait a sec......

Rubbish managers should obviously be figured into it as well.

Hmm, like Liverpool playing Carragher whilst leaving Coates on the bench? Would never happen IRL. Oh wait a sec......

Yes but how often do you see an AI team cultivate a youth player and bring him through into the 1st team. Players with -9 PA just turn to rubbish. Never see Welbeck get a game at UTD, Oxlade at Arsenal, and the likes of Balotelli offered for loan and then rot in the reserves. It's not right.

But whenever I get 20 years or so into the future the game is full of world class players, so where did they come from? Somebody must have brought them through from youth.

Yes but how often do you see an AI team cultivate a youth player and bring him through into the 1st team. Players with -9 PA just turn to rubbish. Never see Welbeck get a game at UTD, Oxlade at Arsenal, and the likes of Balotelli offered for loan and then rot in the reserves. It's not right.

It's the same when you let your assistant pick teams, too. He almost always picks your strongest X1.

But whenever I get 20 years or so into the future the game is full of world class players, so where did they come from? Somebody must have brought them through from youth.

When the first generation retires, the third generation is just at the right age to make the transition to world class.

The second generation mostly gets wasted. Same for the fourth etc.

It's why you end up with Lampard getting 150 caps at the age of 38 (doesn't happen as much as it used to, but still does happen from time to time).

4: Recommending players and manager friendships: If you manage a PL/FLC team, a manager from the FL1/2 you have a good relationship with might approach you and say he needs e.g. a midfielder, and if you have player you would like to loan out or give away. If you manage a lower league club you can ask yourself. Also, you can recommend a player without the other manager asking, like if you have a player who has been a total flop or a triallist who doesn't cut it, you can send him a message saying that we're not interested in these players, but maybe you would like them? And sometimes, the other manager might do a favour back, like lower transfer fees if you buy one of his players.

I seem to remember this being how McDonald Mariga was signed by Inter, so yeah this would be a good and realistic feature.

I particularly like #1, be good on career games, which is what I predominantly play.

All the others are good suggestions too, I imagine some may possibly have implementation issues though.

in what way? Liverpool payed £20m for Downing...... £35m for Carroll.....

One recent example from my game would be AC Milan paying 28,5m euros for a 29 year old Marvin Martin, who was transfer listed after his team was relegated.

Players join local clubs more often. E.G., how often do you see a Conference player or even lower moving left, right and centre across the UK?

All the time?

Regarding transfers I wouldn't mind seeing the ability to agree to terms with a player prior to the bid being excepted. It is something that for all intensive purposes appears to happen quite regularly.

#3 is something that needs to be looked at particularly at the lower levels. Players simply wouldn't move 100's of miles to play for a club on non-contract terms or for a small weekly wage. To encourage a player to move greater distances you should have to offer a lucrative contract or something. Can you imagine a player leaving Workington to sign for Eastbourne because they offered him £60 a match instead of £50?

#3 is something that needs to be looked at particularly at the lower levels. Players simply wouldn't move 100's of miles to play for a club on non-contract terms or for a small weekly wage. To encourage a player to move greater distances you should have to offer a lucrative contract or something. Can you imagine a player leaving Workington to sign for Eastbourne because they offered him £60 a match instead of £50?

I can. Eastbourne is a much nicer area.

Regarding transfers I wouldn't mind seeing the ability to agree to terms with a player prior to the bid being excepted. It is something that for all intensive purposes appears to happen quite regularly.

I agree. Would be a great way to force the owning club into selling the player.

I really like idea 1 and 4. I like 2 and 3 as well but they would be harder to implement.

Regarding transfers I wouldn't mind seeing the ability to agree to terms with a player prior to the bid being excepted. It is something that for all intensive purposes appears to happen quite regularly.

And illegal, IIRC.

It does happen IRL, but the proper procedure is to go through the club first. Otherwise it constitutes tapping up.

And illegal, IIRC.

It does happen IRL, but the proper procedure is to go through the club first. Otherwise it constitutes tapping up.

Not to doubt your word, but if the media is reporting that x club has agreed personal terms with x player, but are yet to come to an arrangement on the transfer fee, then I don't think that constitutes tapping up. To drag up an old one , from my understanding Teves had agreed personal with a couple of potential clubs, the problem was always the fee Man City were wanting .

But how much can you trust the media?

Using your example, Tevez could in theory have had agreed terms with other clubs, but he still belonged to City, and they could have played hardball (maybe they did) and refuse to let him go because he went behind their backs. There's nought wrong with that actually.

It would be nice if players rejected fewer loans, especially if those players were teenagers with zero experience. The other parts of the transfer system do not seem too bad to me.

I can. Eastbourne is a much nicer area.

I'd say it's highly, highly unlikely. Unless a player is actively looking to leave the area I doubt any settled Workington player would consider move nearly 400 miles for an extra £10. Particularly as they'd have a part time job outside of football to consider.

I'm sure I saw one club on the North/South threshold (possibly Worcester?) basically say "look, we don't care which side of the line we fall on, but we need to be sure which side we'll be in the medium-term so that potential signings know which way they'll be travelling for matches"

I'd say it's highly, highly unlikely. Unless a player is actively looking to leave the area I doubt any settled Workington player would consider move nearly 400 miles for an extra £10. Particularly as they'd have a part time job outside of football to consider.

Danny Hurst lived in Hastings yet he played for Barrow AFC. I don't think Hurst was on a large wage.

But how much can you trust the media?

Using your example, Tevez could in theory have had agreed terms with other clubs, but he still belonged to City, and they could have played hardball (maybe they did) and refuse to let him go because he went behind their backs. There's nought wrong with that actually.

I think the way it works is that if the club has received an offer that's close to their asking price from the potential buyer or they haven't received an offer but feel that a deal can be done, they will let the player to talk to the club. Advantages for both sides if you look at it - the selling club will hope that the buying club agreeing terms with the player will mean they are more determined to get him and pay the asking price whilst the buying club will figure that if the player agrees terms, the onus will be on the selling club to sell and not have an unhappy player on their hands.

Danny Hurst lived in Hastings yet he played for Barrow AFC. I don't think Hurst was on a large wage.

Danny Hurst was born in Manchester and played for a host of north-west clubs prior to signing for Barrow. He's played for Bolton, Fleetwood and Barrow all of whom operate on a full time/semi full time basis so he's probably a little different to the example I'm talking about.

I'm not suggesting that no player in the history of the game has relocated to play football on a part time basis but surely it's not something that happens as regularly as on FM? I appreciate it isn't that easy to implement but do agree with the OP in that it's something that needs some consideration.

For the record, it's "all intents and purposes", not intensive purposes.

If it is that bothersome than by all means edit

Imo tactics flexibility and engine are #1 priority...